Complicated
by RedViolinist
Summary: Following an alternate post-DBZ timeline with altered ages, "Complicated" follows Goten, Bra, Trunks, Marron and Pan through the nightmare that is a new race more powerful than any saiyan alive. IN PROGRESS. GXB, TXM/TXP
1. Return to Reality

It was a brisk Saturday morning amongst the villages of East District. A young man named Goten was getting his things ready to leave for a morning training session in the woods. His eager niece was bouncing up and down beside him pleading to come along. "Pan, I kinda wanted to take the morning to do some solo work. We'll go for one round when I get back, okay?" He smiled warmly at the short, teenage girl and patted her on the head. Goten was very tall, like his father and brother. "Uncle Goten! I hate it when you pat my head like that! I'm not a freaking dog!" Pan's black eyes flashed angrily before she turned and stomped out of his bedroom. Goten laughed and continued to pack a bag. Little did his family know, he was sneaking off to see his new girlfriend, whom his mother hated with a burning passion.

His mother's home, where he lived, was filled with the smell of eggs and bacon. He took a large sniff before silently creaking his window open and hoping out. Just as his feet hit the ground, a familiar voice came from around the corner. "Goten! Did I catch you at a bad time?" Goten turned his head to find his father, Goku, standing with his protégé, Uub. "Dad? Are…are you back?" Goku looked at his look-a-like son with sadness, "Yes, Goten. I'm back for good. No more leaving." He held his arms out for Goten, but he did not respond. "I've been…wondering when this day would come. I thought, would I be twenty…thirty…fifty? I had no idea when you'd be back. All I know is you leaving whenever you feel like it." Goten scoffed at Goku's attempt to sympathize and flew off. Goku sighed and looked at Uub, who felt horrible for taking Goten's father from him for several years of training.

Goku wandered around to the front of the house and began to head for the door. He took a deep breath in and said, "Wow! I've sure missed the smell of Chichi's cooking! That smells so good!" He reached for the doorknob, but instead it flew open. His wife stood before him in a pink Japanese dress and apron. Shocked, she stood there silently for a moment. Goku began to speak, but she cut him off quickly. "I didn't know if you were alive or dead! Why on Earth did you leave me for so long?" She grabbed him and shook him angrily. The yelling continued to get louder as Uub stood embarrassed behind them. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Chichi. We just traveled so much and trained every single day. I can't begin to explain how much he has helped me become a better fighter and a better person." He backed away slightly as she stopped shaking Goku and turned to him. "Perhaps he should have taught you that you don't just disappear from your wife for a few years. I could have had you declared dead, both of you!" She crossed her arms and sighed. Goku smiled and held out his arms, "I love you, too, hun." She melted instantly and flung herself into his muscular arms. "No more saving the world or training in foreign countries. No more leaving. No more dying." She began to cry. Goku held her tightly and whispered, "I'm so sorry. I'll never leave you again. I'm sorry." Uub realized that the moment had become a bit personal and decided to wander inside and give them a moment of privacy.

"Uub! My gosh, how you've grown up!" Goku's oldest son, Gohan, was seated at the table reading a newspaper. He rose from his seat and happily shook Uub's hand. Uub realized how much time had passed by how changed Gohan was. His hair was no longer wispy with bangs, but straight and gelled back. He wore a business suit and tie, with glasses that aided in making him appear as smart as he actually was. "Hey, Videl! Come say hello to Uub!" Gohan called towards the back of the house. "I don't remember there being another area of the house back there. Was it recently added?" Uub asked, "Yes! We just finished the addition last year. Videl and I would like to move closer to the city, but mom refused to leave the East District area. I think she was just afraid that dad would come home and not know where to find us. I see that won't be an issue now!" He smiled out the window at his parents, who were still embracing tightly. "I knew that he would come back. I didn't think it would be this long, but it definitely isn't the first time that he took off like that." Gohan sighed and set down his paper, "Videl!" He called again, more impatiently.

Pan came bounding down the hallway, still flustered by Goten's rejection. "Mom is busy, dad! Oh! Hello there?" She froze in front of Uub, who instantly recognized her as the small girl from the martial arts tournaments that always made such a spectacle. "Pan! So good to see you again. Your grandpa won't even recognize you!" Her eyes widened and she instantly darted for the window, "Oh, my God! It's really him! Daddy!" She swung her head around at Gohan, who smiled and said, "Why don't you go and say hello." Her face lit up with joy and she ran for the front door. "I suppose I'll go and say hello, too. I wish Goten were home, but I just saw him leave a minute ago." Uub laughed awkwardly, knowing that Goten had left in a hurry after his temper flared at Goku's return.

"Grandpa?" Pan called. She was hesitant, "Grandpa, is that really you?" Goku looked up from Chichi and his eyes filled with pure pride in the beautiful young granddaughter that stood before him. "Pan! Come give me a big hug!" Chichi stood aside and Pan bounded forward, blasting Goku backwards into a tree. They all laughed while Gohan ran up to them to help him up. "Dad…I was beginning to think that we wouldn't see you again." Goku looked at his son empathetically and grabbed him for a hug.

After a few happy moments with a family reunited, Gohan's petite wife, Videl, emerged from the house beaming with happiness. "Goku! You're back!" She, too ran towards him and he pulled her in for a hug with Gohan. When she backed away, her face was puffy and red as though she had been crying. "What's the matter, Videl? You look upset." Gohan asked his wife lovingly, "Your face is all puffy." She blushed and said, "Oh, nothing. It's nothing." Pan and Gohan looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well guys, I should get going. I'm sure my mother is worried sick. It was great seeing all of you…and thank you, Goku. You are forever my mentor and friend." Uub smiled at Goku who responded, "Thanks, Uub. You, my friend, have taught me many great lessons as well. Take care of yourself and your family!" Goku waved as Uub took to the sky and was off. Pan watched him fly off intently, as though she wanted to speak with him longer, but she was quickly swept inside by her celebrating family.


	2. Family Bonds

Chichi hurriedly made everything that they had in the refrigerator for dinner that night with her daughter's help. She figured that Goku was probably hungry after all of those years without her cooking, a thought that made the fact that they are soul mates perfectly clear. The way to Goku's heart was surely through food alone. She thought that no one knew how to cook for her Goku but herself. Pan set the table while Videl sat on the couch. She seemed to be in deep thought, switching hands to lean on every couple of minutes. She stared into space like a life changing event had just occurred. Pan noticed and called over to her mother, "Mom, do you want to help me pick out a nice outfit for dinner?" Videl rose her head and smiled, "That's okay, dear. I'm not feeling very well. Surprise me, ok?" Pan sighed and looked at her Aunt Regine. "Come on, Pan…I'll help you." Regine got the hint that something was up before Pan did. Videl was not the type to withhold help with household chores, so it must have been a very serious thought.

Goku and Gohan sat outside catching up on stories when Goten arrived home. He was hesitant to say anything and just stood silently for a moment. He had always struggled with the fact that his father was both absent for most of his childhood and for his brief adult life. "Dad…I…are you back for good this time? Like, I can't do this again if you're going to bail on me. It's just like whiplash. When I think you're back and here, you leave me again. I can't, like, deal with that again." He crossed his arms and frowned at Goku. Goku knew that this was his fault, but he was never as close to Goten as he was to Gohan and struggled finding words to comfort him.

"Goten…I'm so sorry. Yes I am back. I won't leave you nor this family again. I have so much to tell you…do you think that you can forgive your old man?" He smiled his warmest Goku smile, but Goten was unfazed. "Sorry, dad. You're going to have to work a lot harder than that to earn back this guy's trust. I couldn't even enjoy my date that I had this morning, by the way. But not like you would have even known where I was. You never were there for me when I needed you most as a kid. Always out training…I could have turned out a lot worse, you know. People without dads can turn out to be really rough. You're so lucky that mom loves you so much. I'm sorry. I can't be around you right now." Goten turned on his heel and flew into the sky. Goku's face fell, but he knew that he'd let Goten down for most of his young life. Gohan's mouth hung open in disbelief and he quickly gripped his father's shoulder firmly and said, "Dad, I don't know what to say. He'll come around. He's still got so much growing up to do. You know that we are not all angry at you." Goku sighed but nodded at Goten. He had learned a lot about the meaning of family from Uub over the years that they spent together. "I'll prove it to him, Gohan. And you. I promise." Gohan hopped up and held out a hand to his father. "Let's go inside and get some food!" Goku happily obliged to that notion.

They stepped inside the house and were instantly bombarded with a very happy Chichi. "Goku! I've made all of your favorites! I hope that you like everything…" She blushed and looked at the floor. Goku could tell that she was still quite hurt, but trying to hide it out of excitement for his return. "Food! How could I dislike any of your wonderful food?" Goku sat down at the table and tucked a napkin into his tattered shirt. Chichi cringed at the sight of one of her good, fabric napkins touching his dirty shirt. They had all changed for dinner, but she supposed that he needed a good refresher course on manners. "Goku, please change at least your shirt for dinner. You're pretty gross, to be honest!" They all laughed and he got up from the table.

He walked back to his bedroom and to his surprise, it all looked exactly the same. He walked through the rounded doorway and stepped into the room. The floor creaked beneath his feet, as it always did right at the entrance to the bedroom. His favorite clock still ticked on the bedside table and his favorite bedding still dressed their empty bed. He was touched that it all looked so familiar. He opened their closet doors and found that all of Chichi's dresses were freshly laundered and hanging next to his outfits. Everything was clean and pressed, just as though he would be wearing them tomorrow. His shoes lined the floor and were completely clean of any mud or dirt. He closed the closet and approached the dresser, directly in front of his bed. He opened the top drawer, his drawer, and found all of his undergarments and his assorted sweatbands completely folded and cleaned. "This is so surreal…" He muttered to himself. He pulled a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt from the drawer below and changed. It felt good to be back in his own clothes, smelling like his wife's laundry soap and the crisp air of the country.

When he closed the drawer, a picture caught his eye. It was a picture of Goten's graduation from high school. Goku missed this event. Next to it was a picture of Gohan and Videl with Pan, who appeared to be graduating from primary school. Another important event that Goku missed. The lost memories tugged at his heart and he sat painfully backwards onto the bed. He held the framed pictures in his hands and realized that he could have easily just disappeared. No one would think that he was ever coming back. No one did think that he was coming back. His own son despised him, his granddaughter barely knew him, and his friends…well, that was a thought that he couldn't bare to add to his burden. He had betrayed everyone in favor of a boy who wasn't his family. He loved Uub like a son, but he already had two sons who needed him and he abandoned them. His heart was completely crushed. Tears began to well into his eyes and emotions that Goku thought impossible to feel were trying to surface. He felt like his heart was going to explode inside, like he'd missed every grand opportunity for everyone who was important to his life. The realization was explosive.

"Goku…are you okay?" He looked up from his tear-stained pictures to find Videl standing in the doorway. "Videl! Oh…yes, I'm okay, I'm sorry. I've changed, let's eat!" He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and sniffled his pain away, but Videl came forward and placed her arms around his neck. She whispered, "Every day that you missed, you were missed. We love you like you never left, and Goten will come to understand that you did what you felt was right. Gohan and I, and Chichi, we respect your decisions and Pan is just happy that you're home." The tears began to flood forward again, "Videl…but I missed most of Pan's life so far. I'm a terrible grandfather, when I had such a fantastic one that literally saved my life. I wish that I could have seen the bigger picture back then!" He reached up and gripped Videl's shoulders tightly. She, too, began to tear up and rested her head onto his, "But Goku, you will have another chance. I promise you that. Just wait and see." She rose up from his grasp and held out her hand, with tears in her big, blue eyes, "Let's start now, ok?" Goku smiled weakly at her and nodded. He took her hand and followed her back out into the kitchen.

The feast on the table was massive, just as he remembered Chichi's meals. He sat at the table and thanked her for her hard work, something he rarely had done in the past that Uub simply insisted on no matter where they ate. Gohan and Videl sat to his side, with Pan opposite them and Chichi at the other end of the table. They laughed and shared stories well into the day. It seemed that all had been forgiven, at least forgiven on the surface.

The entire day seemed like a blur of happiness to Goku and the family. He went for a long walk with Chichi, sparred with Pan and Gohan, even had the chance to look at some of Videl and Gohan's academic awards in their newly built home. Goku knew that they were smart, but he never thought that they'd become world renowned scientists and professors at the West City University. He beamed with pride as Gohan explained what each award was for and Pan bounced around at his feet holding his hand tight. Life was about to become better than Goku could have ever dreamed, or so he thought.


	3. Am I pretty when I cry?

Goten was furious. He couldn't believe that his father thought that he could just come back after six years and be forgiven. His mind was swirling with anger and his speed continued rising. His anger was surfacing like in a terrible battle, and he instantly transformed to a super saiyan. Although he was only half saiyan, an alien warrior race from now destroyed planet Vegeta, he still possessed incredible power and had trouble controlling his transformations to a more powerful form when he was angry sometimes. He began to grind his teeth and tears were starting to sting with the cold gusts of wind flying across his face. He couldn't even think about the wonderful time that he was supposed to have had with Valise, his new girlfriend. He was angry when he met her that he couldn't even go to the music festival that they'd planned to attend today. It was all too much for Goten's fragile emotions. Just then, his phone rang. He stopped with a sudden jerk in the sky and reached into his pocket. It was her again, he thought, she just couldn't get the hint that it was over.

"Marron. You've got to stop this. You've got to. I can't keep-what? What happened? Shit, I'll be there soon!" Goten almost dropped his phone while shoving it back into his pocket. He had recently broken things off with his ex-fiancée, Marron because they just didn't click anymore. She called him almost daily in an attempt to mend things, but Goten just couldn't bear to hear her voice. He wanted a clean break, but she was anything but. Unfortunately, Marron's father, Krillin, had just suffered a massive heart attack and was inbound to Wukong hospital in West City. Krillin had always been Goku's dearest friend, and Marron's mother, 18, was a close friend of the family as well. Goten grimaced at the thought of having to call his mother with this news. Chichi was not good in a crisis, especially one so serious. Luckily, Goten had been flying so fast and erratically that he was very close to West City already.

After another fifteen minutes or so, Goten descended on West City and landed harshly in front of the emergency doors to the hospital. He ran into the entrance and headed for the lobby, where Marron's mother, 18, and Marron sat with their friends, Master Roshi and Yamcha. He ran towards them clumsily and said, "I'm so sorry. East district seems so far away when you're flying. Is he okay?" Marron sniffled into Yamcha's shirt while 18 stood up from her seat. She walked away from Marron and headed towards a small hallway with lit up vending machines and said, "We don't know much yet. We got him here in record time, so hopefully he will pull through. The doctors were hopeful, but he's been having issues for a while now and they did have to perform surgery. I just hope that they don't find anything else while they are in there." 18 leaned against the wall and took a deep breath in. "Marron wanted you before she wanted anyone else, you know. What are you doing with her? You were engaged and now you can't even stand to call her and make sure she's okay?" Goten's mouth fell open and his eyes widened. He had gotten very close to their family over the five years that he dated Marron, but when they decided to separate he tried his best to distance himself from them and make it clear that he no longer had feelings for her. He had just started a new relationship with Valese and he was really trying to move on. "18…I'm sorry. It's just how these things go. I'm here now, I'll take her for a walk and try to help ease her mind a bit, but you know that I'm only here because it is an extreme circumstance. Besides…my father came home tonight." 18 gasped and stared for a moment, "He came back? He's alive? Ha! Did you tell him about Krillin?" She pulled away from the wall and clasped Goten's hands in excitement. Goten looked at his feet and blushed, "I was so mad that he acted all nonchalant about it…I didn't stay. I just left." 18's expression changed instantly and she threw down his hands. Her look of disgust was hard to witness, but she turned quickly and headed down the hallway. Goten put his hands in his pockets and sighed, perhaps it wasn't the best idea to just head out like he did. Whatever the case, he was there for her now, and she did need him more than he felt he needed to hear about his dad's adventures with his adopted son.

Goten called his mother, who practically screamed his ear off on the phone before he even got to tell her what happened. She told him that they would all be there as soon as possible and that Goten should just stay put. He sighed at the thought of his mother still giving him orders at 23 years old, but he figured that if he really had a huge problem with it, he would have moved out by now. He returned his phone to his pocket and walked back over to the lobby area. "So, Marron…let's take a walk." He said softly as he approached her seat. Yamcha turned and frowned at Goten. "Yeah, yeah, I know, I've been a real jerk lately. Let me help now." Goten snapped, "Besides, why are you even here right now?" Yamcha looked personally offended. "For your information, I was visiting. It just so happens that I was here to help Marron and Master Roshi out when 18 flew Krillin here!" He scoffed at Goten and crossed his muscular arms childishly. Roshi sighed and put his feeble hand on Marron's shoulder, "Why don't you go? It may be good for you to get up and walk around a bit." She smiled at the ancient old man and hugged him, "You are the closest thing to a grandfather that I could have. Thanks for being here for us." He blushed and laughed awkwardly. Goten rolled his eyes and turned away. He had always thought Roshi was just a big pervert, but seeing him so close to Marron made him strangely jealous. What an old kook. "Goten?" Marron asked when she held out her hand for help getting up. He took her hand and pulled her up. He bent his arm at the elbow for her to hold and she took it.

They walked throughout the hospital and found an area with large windows overlooking the city. There was a walkway going in front of the windows above the rest of the large area below. Doctors were scurrying back and forth and phones were ringing off the hook. People sat in different waiting areas hoping for good news and receiving bad news. It was truly a surreal place to be for Goten, who had hoped for so long that good news would come about his father and he completely rejected it when it did.

Marron went over to the windows and leaned against the railing. "I can't believe that my dad could die here. He helped save the world so many times…he survived when my mother was a raging lunatic killer and even turned her to the good side…I just can't believe that this could be the end." Goten frowned at the thought and said, "Marron, you can't talk like that. He isn't going to die, medicine is so advanced these days. Remember, I was going to go pre-med for a while!" She rolled her eyes and tilted her head, "Yep, you were so gung-ho ready to study medicine and then poof! You decided that you would pursue creative writing instead. Where did that get you? Oh right, into the arms of a lovely young editor and out of the grasps of your overbearing fiancée. I mean, I'm only a grade school teacher, what use is that for a gold-digger-" He slammed his fists down onto the railing, denting it towards the floor. His eyes burned with rage, "Marron. I did not have to come here tonight. My dad is home. I didn't have to drop everything for you and come here, but I did. I care about you. I may not love you like you love me, but that doesn't mean that I don't care about you and your dad. Stop attacking me when this situation, right here, is not my fault!" Her eyes burned into his and her anger rose, "Then just say it, Goten! You left me because I wasn't going to make a lot of money! You want to move out here, to the big city! You couldn't stand that I just wanted to have a family in a modest little house! Just say it!" Goten's eyes wavered and his facial expression relaxed. "Fine, Marron. I wanted you to be a little bit more ambitious. You just got so…uninteresting." Her mouth fell open and a small sigh of sadness escaped. He'd hurt her deeply. "I'm sorry." He mouthed the words, but his words fell short. He wasn't sorry that he'd finally told her the truth. He wasn't sorry that he didn't love her. He shrugged his shoulders and stepped to the side, crossing his arms and looking out the giant window. Marron crossed her arms, too, but sighed and let it go. She knew that she'd never win an argument with Goten's hard head. She looked at him in his too-big hoodie and skinny jeans. He was the most attractive man that she'd ever known. His eyes were still enraged, but she knew him, and she knew that he lashed out when she backed him into a corner. "Well. At least we got some things out in the open. That's okay. I'd rather you yell at me then just ignore me." She uncrossed her arms and placed her hands on the dented railing. She laughed quietly, "Way to break the hospital." Goten's anger broke instantly, and he blushed. He couldn't stay mad at her, he never could. He laughed and patted his hand onto the bottom of the bar, causing it to dent back into shape. "My bad." He said, looking around suspiciously. They enjoyed a small moment together before the tension was broken.

"Guys!" Yamcha came running towards them. "Marron! He's in recovery! We can go see him now!" She looked at Goten with hope in her eyes and said, "Let's go see him! I'm sure he'll be happy to see you, Goten!" Her smile warmed his heart, but he felt a tug in the opposite direction as well. Why did things with her always have to be so complicated?


	4. Reunited

"Mom, where did Goten go? He should've been home by now." Gohan worriedly checked his watch. "Oh, Gohan you worry too much. He'll be back when he's cooled off, I'm sure of it!" Regine said, defending her brother. It was obvious at this point to Goku that Gohan had taken over the role of head of the household. He was so fatherly towards Goten, probably because he was basically his father after Cell was defeated. Goku again felt that tug at his heart. "Why don't you call him?" Pan suggested, "Or wait, I'll call him!" She happily got out her cell phone to which Goku replied, "Aren't you fourteen? Why on Earth do you already have a cell phone?" She laughed at him and said, "Oh, grandpa. Everyone has a cell phone now! I'm pretty sure that Bra got her's when she was like seven, and she's four years older than me!" She happily dialed Goten's number while Goku sat with his mouth open. The times had changed since he left. "I remember advising against giving Gohan a phone when he was about to graduate high school!" Goku laughed and shook his head. Gohan said, "We'd rather know where she is and who she's talking to by looking at her bill than allow her to run amuck. She's quite the handful. She takes after her mother at her age!" Videl slapped Gohan's arm playfully but agreed with him nonetheless.

Pan's phone began to ring just as she'd picked it up. She answered happily announcing that it was Goten, but dropped her phone and picked it back up again from the table, "What happened to Krillin? Is he dying?" Her question prompted panic at the table. Chichi grabbed the phone away from Pan. "Goten! What happened?" Pan pouted in her chair, but Goku patted her shoulder and mouthed his apologies. She began to scream at the top of her lungs at Goten about how horrible he'd been that day but quickly softened when he explained what happened. She hung up the phone and sighed. "Krillin is in the hospital. He had a heart attack and he's in intensive care now. We should go and be there for them. He said Bulma and Vegeta are headed there now, too." Gohan gasped, "A heart attack? Krillin has been having a lot of health problems. I sure hope that he's okay." Goku looked puzzled for a moment and then asked, "Have you been in contact with them? We didn't usually hear from them very much." Chichi pondered his question for a moment but then realized the gravity of the time that Goku missed. "Your son was going to marry Krillin's daughter, Marron. He called it off about a year or so ago. It was kind of a big shock to all of us, and it's still a sensitive topic. We got very close to Krillin and 18 over that time. They were even going to move out here with us, had the plans for another add on and everything. It was really sad." Goku stared at Chichi in shock for a moment and then said, "Well, what happened?" Gohan sighed and said, "Dad, I think you need to ask Goten that question. Even we aren't really sure what happened. His new girlfriend is a real city girl and is very rude to us. Maybe you can talk some sense into him." Videl laughed under her breath. She knew how receptive Goten would be to the father that left him twice giving him relationship advice. Chichi nodded in agreement with Videl's silent comment. Suddenly, Pan hopped off of the chair. "What are we waiting for? We should head out now! West City is quite the fly." Goku stood at his chair and said, "No, let's drive. He is safe for the time being, let's just take the time to be smart and safe, too." Chichi smiled and agreed, but was surprised by Goku's level headed-ness.

Videl threw a purple and white capsule into the front yard that revealed an impressive family vehicle. She hopped inside and started the engine. Across the side, the plane displayed the large capsule corporation logo on the side. Goku wondered if this meant that it was a gift. Little did he know that both Gohan and Videl had acquired advanced education in engineering and Videl holds a position in upper management for Capsule Corp. "Hop in you guys, it's ready to go!" She waved them inside. Chichi sat up front with Videl and just as soon as the boys fastened their seat belts opposite of Pan, the plane took off at high speed. Goku laughed at the amount of power and said, "Is this a super plane? I've never been in a vehicle this fast before! Even Bulma's!" Videl smiled and said, "You know, Dad, I work for Bulma now. We have the best that Capsule Corp has to offer. That's why Pan has such a nice phone, too." Pan smiled and waved her phone at Goku, who took it and began pressing its screen angrily. "How do you turn it on? Nothing is happening!" Pan laughed at Goku and took the phone back from him, "Look Grandpa, we can play this game!" Goku and Pan remained entertained for the whole ride, which took all of one hour to arrive. Videl and Gohan needed a fast way between districts since they both worked in the city.

They pulled in front of the hospital and exited quickly. Videl returned the super-plane-car to its capsule and followed them inside. They could see Marron and Yamcha seated next to the window inside, so they ran quickly to her.

"Marron!" Chichi called sympathetically, "Come her, sweet girl!" She hugged Marron tightly, who cried into her shoulder. She had forgotten how much she wanted Marron to be her daughter-in-law. "How's your mom? Is she doing okay?" Marron pulled away from Chichi slightly and shook her head yes before collapsing again onto Chichi's shoulder. Goku watched his wife and thought about what a caring and strong woman he married. It was incredible that she didn't just move on and forget him. "Goku!" Yamcha stood up from his chair with Roshi and stared for a moment. "You're actually here?" A smiled crept across Yamcha's face as he continued be to frozen in place. Master Roshi waddled over to Goku and smacked him with his cane, "How dare you keep us in the dark for so long! What is truly the matter with you, boy?" They laughed and Goku bent down to hug Master Roshi tightly.

Goku walked Roshi back over to his seat and sat down next to him. The seats were relatively comfortable for a hospital, Goku thought to himself. Yamcha plopped down and began to ask Goku all about his journey with Uub. Clearly, Yamcha still considered himself a formidable martial artist. He told Goku of his new studio that he opened for the intensive study of Master Roshi's techniques. Roshi rolled his eyes and agreed that it was all Yamcha's idea. He was so old at this point that he had no interest in having pupils any longer. Gohan piped up, asking about the business aspects of the new place, catching Videl's interest as well.

As the "grown-ups" continued to chatter away, Pan decided it was time to entertain herself. "Well, this is lame. I'm gonna go walk around." She said loudly, but no one noticed. She heaved a great sigh and walked towards the hallway opposite the vending machine hallway. She walked through a large, grey doorway and the double, wooden doors opened automatically. She stepped through them and into an area that was as sterile as it was bright. The floor was still the ugly, white and blue tile, but the walls were painted bright white and the chairs were jet black and metal. There was a counter up ahead with two women sitting at computers and a man signing paper work on top of the counter. A blue cart ahead of her looked like a giant tool box with electronic dials on the front to access each individual drawer. A computer screen sat atop it flashing red. Pan felt weirdly cold here, like death was just around the corner. She turned to her right and saw names written on panels placed in clear holders next to each door. She followed them towards a large window at the end of the hall, but stopped when she saw Krillin's name on a door. She stood on her tip-toes and tried to see in the window, but she was too short. She looked to each side and when no one was there, she levitated off of the floor to get a better look.

There he was, laying there helplessly with wires and monitors all around him. She gasped and fell, causing a nurse passing by to notice her and run down the hallway. "Excuse me, you can't be in the ICU wing! He is not well enough for visitors at this time!" She placed her hands on Pan's shoulders but Pan shrugged her off. "I'm sorry! I'll just leave. I got lost." The nurse gave her a stern look, but softened when she saw Pan look up again at the window. "Come on sweetie, let's let him rest. Is he your dad?" Pan picked herself off of the ground and shook her head no. "He's my friend's dad…I just wanted to check on him. She's too upset to tell me anything and her mom like, totally disappeared." The nurse sighed and said, "He did suffer from Cardiogenic Shock. About forty or so percent of his left ventricular wall has been compromised. It's safe to say that he will be undergoing a bypass surgery soon, now." Pan's eyes widened. She held back tears for her friend's dad and decided to start walking. The nurse stood in place, watching as Pan exited the area. This really was not a good night, despite her grandfather's long awaited return.


	5. The Beginning

On the floor above all of the commotion, a partial owner and board member paced the floor. Her heels clicked as she went, and her tight business skirt pulled at her petite form. Three men sat across from her, watching her tight skirt pull against her muscular and sexy legs. She stopped, looked up, but sighed and returned to pacing. Her blue eyes were as intense as her blue hair, and her anger was apparent and rising. "How could this have happened? We are supposed to be the best hospital in Japan. I expect better of our staff! This is one of my best friends that we're talking about!" She stomped her foot at the three men and began barking orders. "But, Bulma, we can't control what the man's heart does! You are too close to this issue. We have to draw the line-" His voice cut off as another man entered the room. This man was shorter than Bulma, but had muscles to compensate and then some. His hair was jet black, like his eyes, and his expression was that of an angry bull about to charge. "I didn't just hear a mere consultant like yourself question my wife, did I?" He made a fist in one hand that hung next to his body and took another step forward. Bulma turned to him and rolled her eyes, "I have got this under control, Vegeta. Please, just stand outside. We don't know how to break this news to the family yet and it's very important to me that they don't just stumble upon us. They don't even know that we're here yet." He scoffed and exited the room, still staring at the three men with his demon-like eyes. A fourth man to the far right of the table kicked back his chair and placed his expensive shoes onto the side of the conference table. "Mother, you're overreacting. We have been through worse, you just need to tell them already. Krillin is a strong guy, and I think he'll pull through. We're sitting in a room with the three most renowned cardiothoracic surgeons in Japan!" Bulma snapped at him, "Trunks! No one asked you. Get me some coffee or something! I can't handle this stress today." Trunks blushed and pouted. He knew that there was no conceivable thing to calm his mother in high stress situations.

When they finally emerged from the conference room, Vegeta took Bulma's hand and headed for the elevator. Trunks snuck past them and decided to head out for a meal. He hadn't eaten since the early morning, before his large meeting with a Capsule Corp investor and another meeting with his own board of advisors. He loved being the CEO, but he hated all of the work that came with it sometimes. His head was full of fuzzy thoughts as he opened the door to the stairway and stepped inside. He headed down the stairs at a quick pace, still stuck inside his head. Just before he hit the second flight of stairs down, he tripped and went flying forward. "Ow!" He heard a voice call out to him before he hit the ground at the very bottom. "Ow? Ow!" Trunks said, rubbing his head and then moving to check his knee. "Do you not look in front of you when you're on the stairs?" Pan rubbed her head, which looked to be have been what he tripped over. Trunks sat up and realized that he knew the girl, "Pan? My God, you're old!" She smiled and said, "Thank you! I'll take that as a compliment." She blushed as his deep, blue eyes burned into her soul. "Trunks…it's been a few years." She smiled and looked to the floor. She had forgotten how attractive he actually was. "How old are you now? Fourteen?" Trunks smiled as he rose from the floor and held out a hand to her, "Yes. How about you? Twenty…four?" He laughed and blushed, "Yeah, I know. I'm getting really old." Pan couldn't speak as she took his hand and felt electricity surge through her body. "I don't think you're old." He smiled and opened the door to the lobby hallway for her. "Come on, want to get some food with me?" She happily agreed and ran over to him and into the hallway.

Trunks and Pan approached the gang, who greeted him happily. "Goku! Long time, no see!" Goku stood to shake his hand and smiled. Marron was seated on the window sill near the floor and was watching the rain hit the ground outside. Trunks frowned, "Aw, man. When did it start raining?" Chichi rolled her eyes and said, "Where is your mother? We called her hours ago and she's still not here! We want an update!" Trunks shrugged convincingly. Bulma was always slow to make her appearance at any event, unless she was the host.

"Marron, come eat with us. You should have some food." Trunks happily held out a hand to her, but her face was morose and drenched in tears. He leaned down to her and smiled, "You've got to eat something. Come on, I'll take good care of you!" She sniffled and blushed, before taking his hand. He yanked her up to her feet and began walking to the door. "Pan, you coming?" Pan nodded and began skipping towards him, but Videl stopped her. "Oh, no you don't. You're staying right here with us until this storm passes." Trunks called out, "Sorry, kid!" and turned to continue walking. Pan angrily sat on the floor and pouted.


	6. Control Yourself

Trunks and Marron walked through the automatic entrance doors and onto the streets of West City. "Where would you like to eat?" Trunks asked Marron thoughtfully as he opened a large umbrella above them, "I know several really nice places, but you can choose anywhere." She blushed and shrugged awkwardly, "Uh, I really like the fancy place with the purple lights inside." Trunks smiled. This was a very expensive restaurant, but he could pretty much afford any place that she could possible dream of. "Yeah, let me call a friend there and make some quick reservations."

Marron was no stranger to being pampered. Her mother was always looking for new ways to make money, but her father had been working hard and making good money for the past few years. They frequently made the trip up to West City for a good meal and some shopping. She was excited to be going to this particular place, however. Her father hated the atmosphere and Goten was always too cheap to take her anywhere nice. As she lost herself in thought, she stopped looking ahead and tripped on an uneven piece of sidewalk. She flew forward and fell on her face. "Oh, my God! Are you okay, Marron?" Trunks hurriedly helped her up and brushed some mud off of her arm. "Now I'm a mess." She said shakily while rubbing her nose. Trunks smiled at her again and blushed. He was holding onto her arms and looking right into her eyes. He'd never realized how beautiful she actually was. Her eyes were a soft yet brilliant blue and her hair was a sparkling, platinum-blonde. She began to blush as well and that dreadful awkward silence filled the air between them. Trunks began to feel differently towards her in that moment. A jolt of electricity flew back and forth between them and their eyes became filled with stars as they stared at each other. Just as the silence was turning into something more, it was shattered when Trunks' phone rang. "Holy crap, that scared me to death!" Marron exclaimed as Trunks released her arms in search of his phone. "Hello? Yes. Yeah we're on our way. Table for two. Thanks!" He hung up and turned back to Marron clumsily, "Okay, so we have a private booth at the restaurant. I texted my friend, the owner of the place, and he hooked us up with a sweet deal. You ready to head over?" Marron looked down at her muddy knees and sighed, "Well, I mean…I guess. Is this gonna be okay?" She pointed at her knees and Trunks laughed. "I have an idea! It's 8:45…this place next door doesn't close til 9!" She sighed again, "Yeah, but, we'll never make it there on time by walking." Trunks smirked and grabbed her arm, throwing her into his arms. He pulled her next to his side and jolted into the air. Marron shrieked as he flew through the night sky effortlessly. "I hate flying!" She said over and over as he continued to laugh at her. He held her tightly against him and she automatically wrapped her legs around his. "This is crazy! I haven't flown in a long time! Ahhh!" She buried her head in his shoulder as he began his decent. "See? Now we're here!"

Marron wobbled into the store and realized that this was no ordinary store. This was a very expensive store. "Oh, you know what, I left my wallet and stuff at home since Yamcha drove me and Master Roshi. I can just run in the restaurant real fast and no one will see!" She waved her arms around to show that she was perfectly capable, but Trunks rolled his eyes and smiled. "I've got it! Pick whatever you want!" She lowered her arms and blushed, "But…you were already going to buy me food. I don't want to impose…." Trunks stopped her by taking her arm and walking into the store. She looked around at all of the walls and saw a purple dress with sequins and a silver lining around the edges. It was strapless, but one side of the front came up slightly higher than the other. It was a bit short, but the place that they were going was pretty nice. She wandered over to the dress and looked up at it, then at Trunks, then back at the dress. He put his hands on his sides and smirked, "Excuse me, but that is just too dangerous." She pointed with one hand pathetically at it and frowned sadly, "But..but it's…it's so pretty and sparkly. Wait…dangerous?" She looked extremely disappointed. Her first thought was that he meant she could fall and hurt her knees again because it was short. "Well, you might just be too damn hot and all the other dudes at the place will be checking you out." Her mouth fell open. How direct of him! She turned bright red and didn't know what to say. This was more like the Trunks she grew up knowing. He laughed at her reaction and reached up for the hanger. "I'll get it for you. Go pick out some shoes, and you can grab some jewelry if you want, too. Bra and my mother have taught me that women are never truly satisfied unless it's a full outfit, right?" Marron blushed again and turned on her heel to go and grab the sparkly, silver heels calling out her name. She grabbed a purple necklace with matching earrings from a rack nearby and ran back over to Trunks. "I can't believe you're really doing this. But my mother always taught me that if a boy offers to buy you something, you don't argue. Especially on a date…I mean…uh…" She paused with her arms outstretched to hand him her items. He smiled, "A date, huh? I was just assuming that a girl like you wouldn't want to actually date a guy like me, but hey, I am totally cool with calling this a date." She handed him her things and stood awkwardly as he paid with his high-class credit card. She wondered to herself what it would be like to have a boyfriend that would actually buy her things once in a while instead of just expect her to pay her way if they went out. She watched him for a moment and realized that he was just ever-so-slightly more ripped than Goten. He was more elegant, more manly…really he was more everything in her mind. She felt like drooling over how hot Trunks was, but he was Goten's best friend. His childhood best friend. The three of them grew up together. Would Goten be able to handle this? Would Marron herself be able to handle this?

He handed her the bag and told her to go and change. She went in the back and came out looking like a million bucks with her new "on the town" outfit. Trunks just stood back and said, "Wow. You look smokin' hot, Mare. C'mon. Let's get going." He offered her his arm and she took it happily.

When they walked inside of the restaurant next door, the man at the front counter ran up to them and greeted Trunks with a firm handshake. This must be the guy that he talked to earlier, Marron thought. "You look so lovely, my dear. What a wonderful outfit for a wonderful restaurant! Right this way!" The man was very chipper and practically waltzed over to a large area of booths separated by tall, black walls in between each table. There was a curtain over the entrance to the booth, so it was clear that these were V.I.P. seating areas. The tables on the floor watched jealously as she walked next to one of the wealthiest eligible bachelors in Japan. It never had occurred to her just how famous the Briefs family was until now.

"Here you are, . I hope you have a fantastic evening with this gorgeous girl!" The man waved and headed back to the front while Trunks opened the curtain and motioned for Marron to walk through. The drapes were a velvet material in purple. The seats seemed to be made of the same material and the lights above gave the table a purple glow. The seat wrapped all the way around the back of the large table, probably enough to seat a party of ten people.

Marron scooted in and stopped approximately in the middle. Trunks came in on the other side, but instead of sitting across from her, he scooted right up next to her. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body as the electricity began to shoot back and forth between them again. "So..uh, you wanna order or..something?" Trunks finally asked as they sat there awkwardly. Marron lunged forward for her menu and blushed. "Sorry, didn't mean to sound rude. I guess I get a lot of my manners from my dad…" She rolled her eyes and smirked. Manners?

"You know, you're kind of exactly like the guy in that really popular American S&M book…" He laughed loudly, "I can openly admit to you that I am not that much of a freak." He said behind his menu, but something told her that he was only half serious. She laughed, "So, you read the books?" He blushed and shamefully nodded. "It's not like when I heard the description that I didn't think of myself! I didn't know what I was getting into." She leaned in closer, "But, did you like it? You know, some of the things that they did?" He stopped reading his menu and set it down on the table. "Are you asking or are you…suggesting something, gorgeous?" She continued getting closer to him. "I was just curious." He cleared his throat and picked his menu back up as a waiter knocked outside the curtain. "Yes?" Trunks called. The waiter took their food order and left without so much as a word. Marron felt exposed without a menu to hide behind.

Trunks interlaced his fingers and leaned his elbows on the table in front of him. He held his face up with his hands and looked at the blonde girl in front of him with his deep blue eyes. "What?" She asked innocently. He only smiled and began asking her about her job and what she liked about it. After an hour or so, they'd finished their dinner and were about ready to head back to the hospital. They'd scooted closer to each other, touching thighs now, and Trunks had his arm around the back of the seat Marron was in. "So…I guess we should head out. But I'm still curious about your interest in that book." She smiled flirtatiously. He leaned forward, only a few inches from her face and said, "Maybe you'll have to find out for yourself sometime." He pulled her chin to him and kissed her quickly.

Taken aback, Marron pulled away from Trunks. Her cheeks flushed scarlet and her lips quivered. "T-trunks…what did you do that for?" He smiled and tightened his arm around her shoulders. "Did you not want me to?" His voice was intoxicating. Marron's shock dissipated and her desires began to take hold. She felt a floating aura of heat surround her body and soul, almost as though she could literally float away.

His fingers caressed her shoulder and his scent was that of an expensive cologne. She stared at the top button on his shirt and wondered what it would be like if she undid just one…maybe two…her mind began to trail off when Trunks kissed her again. This time however, Marron kissed him back.

She let herself go to the wild urges that she was feeling and wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her more passionately, pulling her closer. She could no longer hear any noise around them, only that of his heavy breathing. Just as the tension seemed to rise even higher, Trunk's phone began to ring. He ignored it, but then it rang again. At the third ring, Marron stopped and looked down. "Oh, it's Goten! He might be calling about my dad! My phone died earlier before we left!" She pulled away from Trunks and answered enthusiastically. "Goten…yeah…yeah, sorry it's kinda loud…no…we'll be there soon…" She hung up the phone and looked up at Trunks, who appeared a bit annoyed that she answered the phone. "I'm sorry, I just had to make sure. My mom wants to head to your mom's place for the night…I guess everyone is heading there. Can you drop me off?" Trunks rolled his eyes and began to get out of his seat. "Hey! I'm sorry!" Marron wasn't sure how to react to his drastic change in demeanor. "Let's go. I'll drop you off. It's no problem." Marron stopped talking and followed Trunks out of the restaurant.


	7. Red Heels

Bulma's bright red heels clicked against the floor as she slowly walked towards them with terrible news. "Guys. Goku! It's so good to see all of you. As you all know, Trunks and myself are hospital board members. I just left a meeting regarding Krillin's care. It appears he is stable for now, so I'd like to invite you all back to my place for some much needed rest, especially you, 18." 18 smiled at the friendly gesture but respectfully declined. "I need to be here with my husband. Please take care of Marron tonight, she needs a good night's sleep…I will just stay here in case they need me." Her face fell at the thought of actually needing to be here for another heart attack or worse. Bulma approached her and hugged her. The rest of the gang began to rise from their seats and Videl headed outside to unleash her family plane again.

Goku hugged Bulma, but received a stern look from Vegeta and put his hands up in surrender. Vegeta laughed, "Kakarot…we really were starting to think that we wouldn't see you again. I thought you'd forgotten about our life long quest to better ourselves as warriors. I know I was training to new heights with the help of Bulma's training capsule…I wonder if you got similar results sparring with a kid in the forrest?" Goku shrugged and smiled at Vegeta, who sat opposite of Bulma and said, "Honestly, you probably are a bit ahead of me right now. Maybe we should go toe to toe and see!" Vegeta frowned, but softened when Goku appeared to be serious. "Okay, you two. Now is not the time, Goku!" Chichi pointed her finger at them and began poking Goku towards the door.

"Say, where are Marron and Trunks?" Bulma asked, looking around the lobby. "They went out. Without me." Pan pouted in the corner chair. She was playing a fighting game on her phone and angrily smashing controls. Bulma looked puzzled, "Is Goten with them?" Goku laughed, "No, he's mad at me. He took off the second I got home. I feel kinda bad." Bulma laughed, "Well, you know our boys. They are one in the same. Trunks gets mad and won't come and see me for days." Chichi sighed, "I wish he would tell me where he's going. I'm sure he's out with one of his girlfriends…really I wish he would just settle down and get married already!" Gohan and Videl looked at each other and smiled, "Remember, Chichi…you called me a hussy when we first met! Maybe he'll bring home a nice girl someday." Chichi blushed. Videl continued, "Or…maybe he won't. At least you have me!" Chichi rolled her eyes and placed an arm around Videl's waist as they walked outside.

Goten came from around the corner just as they were leaving and hollered for them all to wait. "Hey! Sorry, I fell asleep on the next floor up. Uh, I heard what you guys were saying, so I called Mare and Trunks is dropping her off at Capsule Corp. She'll be there soon. I'm gonna head out for the night and I'll probably just stay at Trunks's place tonight. See ya." Goten wasted no time in hurrying away before his mother could object. Goku ran after him, "Goten! Can we talk for just a sec?" Goten kicked off of the ground and flew into the night sky, clearly giving Goku his answer.

"Dad…let him come to you. Remember, Goten and I are really different. He doesn't really like to talk things out. He'll just start yelling at you if you keep approaching him." Gohan said sympathetically to a clearly upset Goku. Chichi held out her hand for his and he took it gratefully. "Okay guys, see you at the house!" Vegeta picked Bulma up and kicked off into the sky.

When everyone arrived at Capsule Corp, Bulma instantly turned on her hostess charm and invited everyone to a table filled with food. "How did you have time to make all of this?" Goku asked with drool beginning to form. "I have a very good chef here, Goku. Dig in!" Everyone sat at the table happily and began to chit-chat, but Marron stayed by the door. "What's the matter?" Bulma asked concerned, "I'm just full…and tired…actually I think I'm totally drained. Where can I stay tonight?" Bulma motioned Marron down the hallway ahead.

A pink room filled with fluffy pillows and unicorns was open to her left. "You can stay in here! Sorry it's a little girly in here…but it was Bra's room when she was a little girl. Do you remember?" Marron looked around the room at the walls and sighed, "Yeah, I remember. Didn't she change rooms almost every year?" Bulma rolled her eyes and laughed, "Yep. She is never happy, that girl. She's out with friends and forgot her phone, so I'm sure she'll be back eventually and won't leave your side. Sorry she isn't here for comfort!" Bulma hugged Marron sideways and patted her back before heading back to the very lively dining room.

Marron walked inside the pink paradise and turned off the light. She fell onto the fluffy bed and clutched a pillow. Her purple sequins glistened in the moonlight and her silver heels sparkled. She felt so overdressed…how could anyone ever get used to that kind of lifestyle? Then she realized that her best friend, Bra and her mother were very comfortable in that lifestyle.

She reached up and touched her lips. Her whole body quivered and she could instantly smell the strong cologne again. She could feel his muscular chest beneath her fingers and taste his lips on hers. She blushed and began to feel warm again. What was this? She was still in love with Goten and would always be. Trunks was Goten's best friend. That's all. She shifted around on the bed and hugged the pillow tighter. She couldn't seem to get his burning blue eyes out of her head. They were there when she closed her eyes and again when she opened them. It was useless, she thought. This had to mean something.


	8. Fate of Two Souls

Goten only flew a few blocks before landing near a particularly interesting club. They specialized in dubstep and electronic music, his favorite, and it was 21 and up. After being carded, he walked through the doors of the club and was instantly immersed in loud dance music pounding the walls and rocking the floors. The lights were rather dim, but neon colored beams shot around the room, shinning minimum light on the many clubbers in attendance. He made his way through the crowd and sat on a barstool at the bar. The table was sticky with spilled drinks, so he tried not to touch it. As he sat awkwardly and waiting for the bar tender to notice him, he looked around at the crowd. Usually, he was more confident in these types of situations, but it'd been a long time since he went out alone. Marron usually brought all of her friends and they always had a great time. It saddened him that he lost all of his friends that became her's when they parted ways.

After a while, Goten started losing patience with the slow service, or lack thereof, from the bartender. After a bit of searching around, he noticed a girl dressed in a shiny, lime-green dress stalling the bartender. He slid off of his seat and walked over to her calmly. "Excuse me, I would like a beer, please. If it's not too much to ask." Goten scoffed at the girl and sat next to her. She ignored him and continued flirting. She got a giant cocktail, free of charge, and got up from her seat to re-join her friends with a single glance towards Goten. He watched her walk away and wondered why she looked so familiar. The bartender finally brought him a beer and practically threw it at him. "Dude!" Goten exclaimed, but was quickly abandoned again for another pretty girl. He briefly wondered if that was why the bar is so sticky. He turned around in his seat again and began to down his beer rather quickly. In order for him to get out there, he knew he'd need at least four, maybe five. It was a shame that Velese was busy tonight, or he'd have brought her along for company.

After a few beers, Goten began to feel more confident. He struck up a conversation with some people at the bar and decided to join them when they hit the dance floor. He squeezed into the surging crowd and began showing off his drunken but still pretty decent dance moves. One by one, he danced with at least twenty girls within the first hour and a half. He moved from beer to shots and lost count somewhere after the sixth one. He always recalled the stories from when Gohan returned from college at times like these. He told Goten that most saiyans must have an abnormally high alcohol tolerance, because Gohan was the record breaking drinking champ on his school's campus. Goten smiled at the thought and began to grind up against another girl. Before long, he realized that this was actually the girl from earlier that flirted her way to a free drink at the bar.

Before he could even get a good look at her face, all of the lights in the club turned off. Some people squealed, but the music was quickly interrupted, "Alright everyone, it's glow stick night! Let's get this party started!" The DJ booth suddenly produced multitudes of glow sticks and threw them into the crowd. Goten grabbed a handful with the girl in front of him, who laughed when she dropped nearly all that she tried to catch. He put a bracelet on her hand and she put a necklace around his neck. He still couldn't see her face, but he could see that she had shiny, blue hair with glitter all throughout. The music restarted, but it was heavier and even more electronic than Goten thought was possible. They started to dance on each other again, but this time, mystery girl was much more into it. The heavy techno seemed to cause a sort of hormone surge in the crowd, and people began to go crazy. She dropped to the floor and slid her back side slowly up Goten's legs. She stopped and circled around and continued to twist and turn all over his body.

He reached out and put his hands on her waist. She was very thin, but had curves that would make any super model jealous. She was also extremely fit and he could feel her muscles on her stomach when she flexed about. "Damn." He said out loud as she leaned back against him and swayed her hips violently back and forth. Her hand drew slowly down his face and neck before stopping on his chiseled pecks. She turned to him and pressed up against him. Before he knew it, they were making out on the dance floor and they didn't even know each other's names. He still hadn't been able to see her face!

"There's a bathroom over there. Let's go." She whispered in his ear, "I need it now!" Goten almost passed out at the opportunity, but he figured he'd been screwing everything else up lately. He might as well have some fun screwing something for a good cause! He laughed dangerously and grabbed her hand. She began to pull him towards the bathroom, but he thought that she pulled awfully hard and was awfully strong. He again marveled at her fit body and wondered what she must work out so much for. Maybe she's a model or a bodybuilder?

After what seemed like an eternity in the dark closet and a broken wall, Goten leaned back and plopped onto the floor. He could hear her do the same. "Oh, my God, that was like…amazing." She giggled at him. Suddenly, something clicked in Goten's head. That giggle. The strength. The blue hair. He realized who this was instantly in that moment. He began to fumble around the room when he heard the now familiar voice ask, "What are you doing?" Goten ignored her question and continued searching. "I'm looking for the-here!" Goten found the light switch and turned it on.

The woman before him dropped her jaw and her eyes widened. Goten dropped and sat on the floor again in disbelief. She covered her mouth, tried to speak, but just continued stuttering. "B-Bra? Are you even 21?" Goten asked while he continued staring at the floor. She scoffed, "I am what my ID says I am!" She turned bright red. "What the hell are you doing here anyways? Didn't Marron's dad have a freaking heart attack?" Goten sighed. He knew that's where he should be but he didn't want to face his dad yet. "Hello? Earth to Goten? Like…you should put some pants on now." Goten snapped out of his trance and apologized. He pulled up his pants, which were still stuck around his feet.

Goten thought for a moment about everything that had happened in the last hour. The strangest being a small event that took place towards end of their rendezvous. "Bra…how did…why did you bite me?" Goten asked quietly. She stopped and looked at him, "Uh, I was gonna ask you the same." Goten frowned, "You did it first!" She put one hand on her hip, "You were the one being all rough! I guess I'm lucky you didn't go super saiyan on me! You must have just got me over excited…" He thought for a moment. "Is it some kind of weird saiyan thing?" She shrugged, "I don't know. I don't ask my mom or brother about those things. Maybe you could ask my brother? Oh wait. He'd probably kill you for screwing his sister!" She rose from the floor quickly and stomped passed him. She tried to open the door, but Goten grabbed her arm and spun her around, "Wait! I think…okay this is crazy but I think I know what happened." Her angry eyes turned soft as he released her arm and moved closer to her again. "Goten. Stop. Whatever you are going to say, I don't care. This can't happen again." He let her go, but she stayed. "Look, I don't know what just happened. I was just…it's just been a really freaking weird day and I…I'm so drunk…and…I dunno…it wasn't that bad, was it?" His face was dazed and confused when she didn't immediately answer. "No. It was definitely not horrible. And for the record, I'm nineteen, so it's not like you did anything wrong. Sorry for being so snippy. I guess I kinda…drank too much, too."

They stood motionless in the closet. "So…could you take me home?" She asked innocently. "Home? No, my whole family is there! What would they think?" She thought for a moment, "Well, it's probably super late?" He took out his phone and powered it back on. It continuously beeped for about 10 minutes with messages from his mom, Gohan and even Trunks. Trunks' message seemed urgent, well at least more relevantly urgent than the texts from his mom. "Bra…can you wait for a second? I gotta call Trunks real quick and make sure he's okay. This text is weird." She sighed, "Yeah. My phone died right after Marron texted about what happened. Go ahead." He hit Trunks's name to call him and put the phone to his ear. After several rings, a very sleepy Trunks answered, "Hello?" Goten stuttered, "T-Trunks. Hey. Uh…where are you?" Trunks was silent for a moment. "I'm at my apartment. Dude, it's like four AM." Goten looked at the time on his phone and smacked himself on the head. "I'm so sorry…I know it's late. I'm really drunk, I can't go to your mom's place and face my mom like this. Can I stay with you tonight?" Trunks sighed loudly, "Of course. Do you need me to pick you up or can you fly?" Goten thought for a moment but then looked at Bra and briefly panicked, "Well, a lot of weird ass shit just went down and I sobered up pretty quick. I should be able to fly there." Trunks hung up the phone. Goten felt like a complete idiot for calling him so late, but what are rich best friends with nice, big apartments for when you're wasted in the city?

Bra looked up at him with big, doe eyes and smiled. He looked down at her and felt an instant pang of warmth surge through his body. His fingers went numb and his mouth could no longer speak. Her eyes spoke to him in a way that he'd never understood before. It was like they were talking without words. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Yeah, I'll take you home…after you clean this up!" He pointed at his neck. She laughed, "People will think we're vampires!" He put his arm around her waist, "Sexy vampires!" They kissed again, but this time it was different. He couldn't quite figure out why there was such a pull to her now when before it was just a hook up.

They wandered outside and walked behind a building. It was always a better idea to kick off from a place that wasn't out in the open, even if it was late. He picked her up into his arms and hit the air hard. It was bitter cold and stale. Goten really wasn't used to the dirty, city air. He dropped Bra off quietly at Capsule Corp and they did their very best to drop their ki, or power levels, so low that no one could notice them. He kissed her hand and took off into the sky again, leaving her swooning as she wobbled into her house.

Within about ten minutes, he landed outside of Trunks' apartment building. It was huge and crept into the sky above the clouds. He was on the penthouse floor, so Goten always felt stupid calling it an apartment. "Rich dudes…" Goten murmured as he buzzed Trunks' caller. "Get your ass up here! Everyone keeps waking me up!" Trunks' voice came over the speaker and just about busted it from the inside. Goten fell backwards but got up quickly and ran in through the buzzed-open door.

Inside the building, the lobby was made entirely of marble and a huge walkway revealed several, fancy elevators. A night guard was completely passed out at the security desk, otherwise making the entire floor dead silent. Goten tip-toed passed the officer and headed for the elevators. He stared at the lit "up" button for what seemed like ten minutes before an elevator approached.

He wandered on and instantly a voice came over a speaker, "Welcome to the Arkzos Building! Please allow me to take you to your desired floor." Goten looked up and saw a generic looking woman's face on a television screen. He stared at her and wondered if he was supposed to talk. "Please say the name of the floor that you seek." The woman asked again. Goten coughed, "level…penthouse?" The voice obliged and the doors closed. The elevator shot up, knocking Goten to the floor. "Whoa!" He yelled. The alcohol was starting to turn on him.

When he reached Trunks's floor, the doors opened to another guard. " is expecting you, . Rough evening?" Goten rubbed his head and gave the guard a snobby look before opening the door. He headed straight past a sleepy Trunks and fell face first into the huge, leather couch. "Goodnight Goten, goodnight Trunks!" He muttered into the couch. Trunks laughed and tossed a blanket on top of him. "See you in the morning, bro!"


	9. Explanations

The next morning, Goten awoke to a text from his mom saying that Krillin made it through the night and that everything was stable at the moment. Chichi, Videl and Bulma were at Capsule Corp with Pan while Gohan and Goku had gone back to the hospital with Yamcha and Master Roshi for support. He sighed a sigh of relief.

He rolled over on the couch and fell off with a bang on the floor. "Owww!" He stayed face down for a moment so the room would stop spinning. "Oh, look who's up." Trunks' voice came from the kitchen. "I had my assistant get us breakfast. How's that? Fresh bagels and coffee from that place you like down the street." He ruffled the bag to get the bagels, but Goten groaned in protest. "Owww, oh, my God that is so loud." Trunks laughed and walked over to give him the bagel. "I know you don't like cream cheese or anything because you're weird, so here's a naked bagel." Goten squinted up at him and noticed that he was smiling from ear to ear. "Dude…what's with the face?" Trunks laughed again and shrugged. Goten knew what that usually meant and stopped asking questions. Trunks must have had a hot date last night, he thought to himself.

Trunks took a swig of coffee and sat back on the couch. "So, what the hell happened to you last night? You have more unnecessary angst than a teenager. You went out and got hammered because your dad came back? Come on. My dad never gave a shit about me and you don't see me having problems with it." Goten sat up and growled, "Hey. At least your dad wasn't just like, gone. Mine up and left for some stupid guy he barely knew." Trunks thought for a moment and seemed to agree silently. The sun was bright through the window and Goten shielded his eyes to talk to Trunks. "I'm gonna go ahead and shut these for now." He got up and pulled the velvet curtains shut. "You're so rich. I hate you but I love that you let me stay here." Goten smiled his goofy smile and plopped down on the couch. Trunks laughed at him and pointed to the sleeve of his shirt. "So, you and Valese had some fun at a club? Public. I like it." Goten began to respond happily, but quickly realized that he had most certainly not been with Velese the previous night. "Shit!" Trunks stopped eating and looked concerned, "Oh my God…it wasn't her?" Goten slammed his head into his knees, "Ow!" He looked up again and felt sick. "I think…I'll be right back." He ran to the bathroom and Trunks started laughing again. "Woo-hoo, Goten…getting a taste of what it's like to be a playaaa!" Trunks called after him.

As soon as Goten slammed the bathroom door shut, the intercom beeped for attention. Trunks walked over to see who was there, but before he could even see the camera, a voice came over the speakers that made his hair stand up on end. "Hello? Trunks? I left my shoes there the other day. Let me in!" Bra's voice filled Trunks's ears with unpleasant screeches. "Well hurry up, I've gotta head to work soon!" Trunks beeped her in and unlocked the front door for her. After a few minutes, she let herself in and stomped her foot. "Oh, my God. These stupid guards." Trunks rolled his eyes, "Just get your shoes." Bra pranced into the guest bedroom and began searching under the bed.

Goten was on his knees in the bathroom, sicker than he felt he'd ever been. The cold floor was sending shockwaves up his body with every ache and pain he felt. He got up and sat on the edge of the tub, but the room was still spinning and he fell backwards. "Ow!" He yelled to himself. He pulled on the curtain to help himself up, but instead pulled the curtain clear off the hooks. He decided to stay there in the tub, covered by the curtain for a moment. As he laid there quietly, he began to hear the conversation taking place in the living room.

He could tell that it was Bra, but he also knew that there was no way that Trunks could ever suspect them. He still couldn't believe that it happened. He heard Trunks's voice getting louder and realized that they were walking towards the hallway.

"Trunks, I'm just saying, she's like, broken. Her parents are in the hospital and her ex is an asshole." Goten felt his stomach tighten and begin to turn again. "If you're going to sleep with her, just know that Goten will probably kill you if he ever found out. She called me all upset and left this message about how mean you were when she stopped kissing you to answer her phone. Unfortunately, my phone was dead, or I would have come over there and slapped the crap outta you!" Goten tried to get up but the room spun around and he fell backwards again. "I mean, you just kissed right? Why is she so obsessed with you? Way to totally break one of my best friends." He couldn't stand it anymore and thrust up and out of the tub.

"Trunks…is Goten here? His ki just jumped sky high…" Bra asked, spinning around towards the door. Trunks cringed, "You were probably a little loud. Way to go." Goten flung the door open and stood hunched over in the doorway behind them. He slumped against the door and stared at Trunks. Bra turned red and began to back away slowly, "I'm gonna just go…" Trunks nodded at her and held his hand up in the direction of the door. She turned on her heel and grabbed the door knob. After she exited the apartment, Trunks turned to Goten, who was clearly glowing with anger. "Goten…I can explain…" Trunks's completely calm demeanor only served in making Goten even angrier. Goten's eyes flickered between blue and black. He was holding back his anger, but his saiyan body was having serious difficulty.

Saiyan anger continued to build inside of Goten until he snapped into a hung-over super saiyan with wild eyes and clenched fists. "Goten. Stop. The carpet your standing on is expensive. You're gonna throw up again." Trunks took a step towards him, but Goten hunched over and turned around, barely making it to the toilet, Trunks laughed and said, "Told ya." Trunks relaxed and walked calmly towards the bathroom doorway. "I'm sorry, man." Goten's golden glow faded and he returned to a normal state. "I can't…believe…you would….do this." He strained between heaves. After a few moments, Goten sat up and leaned against the tub again. "I just…don't most girls have a "don't date your friend's ex" rule? We should assumingly have a "don't screw your friend's ex fiancée" rule! How could you even consider her? You don't even really know her!" Trunks sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "I didn't screw her, man. It was just a simple kiss." Goten moaned in pain and held his face in his palm.

Trunks thought for a moment. He really didn't know Marron all that well, but he couldn't fight the connection that he felt with her. He thought about all of the times that she had set him up on a blind date with her and Goten sadly. No one had ever given Trunks the complete feeling of understanding like she did last night. No one ever thought of Trunks as anything more than a rich, spoiled brat. He lowered his head and felt sad inside for Goten, but happy inside for Marron. She was moving on! It wasn't long ago that he ran into her in the city and she told him that she'd never date again after what Goten put her through. It wasn't fair to have her feel that way, and if Trunks could give her the feeling of being loved back, he was going to do it. All of this of course was not going to be disclosed to Goten, or anyone for that matter.

"Goten, it's not what you think." Goten stood up with a wobble and said, "And what the hell does that mean?" Trunks laughed, "It was no big deal, man. She was willing and it's been a long time…so it just kinda happened. And whatever, man. You cheated on Valese last night!" Goten turned red, "That's not the point! You don't know Valese! This is about you and my ex doing God knows what, God knows where! She's a sensitive girl, I was her first…you probably totally confused her!" Trunks laughed again, "So…do you still care about her or something?" Goten scoffed, "We're over, but that's not my point!" Trunks crossed his arms in frustration, "I'm allowed to do whatever the hell I want, Goten. She didn't have to say yes when I asked her to dinner. She didn't have to kiss me back. She always had the chance to say, "Oh, no! I still love Goten!" but she didn't!" Goten's mouth hung open. He stomped past Trunks and grabbed his bagel and coffee off of the coffee table before slamming the front door on his way out. Trunks sighed and leaned back against the doorway. He had strong feelings for Marron after last night, but he couldn't let Goten know that it was the best night that he'd had in a long time with a woman.


	10. Chapter 10

Back at the Briefs household, Marron was just waking up from strange and stressful night. She worried for her father before she thought of anything else, but soon the thought of what happened with Trunks popped back into her head and caused that strenuous pull on her stomach again. Aside from the fact that Trunks was the last person that she would have expected to give her a second thought, he seemed so angry after she answered her phone. Any time that Goten brought him around them and their friends, even when they were small children, he was so snobby and self-centered. The side of himself that she saw when he was happy in the store and at the restaurant was a side that she didn't want to lose. Those deep blue eyes…the one's that pierced her soul and seemed to be so thoughtful and caring last night were the same that she remembered seeing burn happily when cold and heartless Trunks enjoyed pull chairs out from behind people and tripping them in the hallway at school. True she was a few years younger than him, but every girl in school wanted a piece of the richest and most handsome boy in Japan no matter what age they were. Then there was Goten. He was always right beside him, cleaning up his messes and apologizing to the girls he crushed with his insensitive lack of emotions. Goten saw her back then. Goten grew up seeing Marron as a beautiful and intelligent woman when Trunks did not. Goten was a good man, the man she wanted to marry, not Trunks. Why was this all so confusing?

She rolled over in bed and rubbed her eyes before stretching as far as she could. "Marron, breakfast is ready!" She heard Chichi call from the kitchen down the hall. She got up from the bed and wandered sleepily over to the vanity mirror. She picked up her brush and began brushing out her beautiful, blonde hair. "Any man would be lucky to have you." She whispered to herself, "If he so much as acts like last night didn't happen, then that's it. It was a onetime thing. But if he acts like it did…" She paused and took a long, hard look at herself in the mirror. Her heart still belonged to Goten, but Trunks definitely owned a piece of it now, too. She couldn't tell herself not to fall right back into his arms if his bad attitude turned around when he showed up today.

In the kitchen, Chichi and Videl were still cooking up bacon and other breakfast goodies. The table was set for the usual saiyan feast, with homemade everything. Bulma was pouring drinks and laughing with Pan about something. Bra looked as though she had just come in due to the fact that she was soaking wet with rain. "I wish it would stop raining! I'm so cold now…mom, why is this house so cold insidee?" Bra complained as she twisted her hair and made a small puddle on the tiles below. "Bra! If you need to ring out your hair, then do it in the bathroom! Someone could fall!" Just as Bulma finished her lecture, Goku wandered into the kitchen half asleep and slipped on the puddle. He fell face first on the ground, but caught himself just in time with one finger to the ground. "Woah!" Bra's face filled with horror as she looked up at her mom and back down to Goku. "I'm so sorry, !" Chichi laughed at her polite address, "Oh please, Bra. Just call him Goku. He's just a big goof, he's not angry." Goku sat up and smiled at Bra. She didn't really know him that well, but his smile shocked her. Goten was basically identical to this man. She apologized again and retreated to her own mind to contemplate what might be happening with Goten and Trunks. Would Goten tell him what happened between them to get back at Trunks for kissing Marron?

"Marron!" Pan hopped up happily and pulled out a chair for her, startling a pensive Bra. "How are you feeling today? I hope you slept well." Bulma smiled warmly at Marron. Yamcha patted the chair next to him that Pan had pulled out, "Come on and sit down, girl!" Marron somberly took the seat and yawned. Bra scooted closer to her seat and laid her head on Marron's shoulder. "I'm so sorry that I missed everything yesterday. I wasn't around here and my stupid phone died. I'm your's all day today!" Marron tilted her head sideways and onto Bra's head. Pan looked on jealously and squeezed herself between them. "I'm here, too!" The girls all laughed and Pan seemed to feel better.

Everyone began to take their seat at the large table when Videl tapped her glass of orange juice with a spoon. They all looked at her and watched intently. "Sorry, this is lame. I was trying to find the right time, or the right way to do this…but since we're all here today and Krillin is doing well, I'd like to make an announcement." Gohan casually walked over to the counter and stood behind Videl, placing his arms around her waist and hugging her tightly. "What's going on, dear?" Chichi asked in a concerned voice. Videl blushed and smiled, looking down at the floor. "We're having another baby, mom. Yesterday was the last day of her first trimester, so I wanted to announce it today!" Gohan placed a hand on Videl's stomach and cuddled her shoulder.

Chichi instantly burst into tears and started jumping up and down, grabbing Regine and spinning around. Goku stood up from the floor and hugged his son and daughter-in-law before running over to Chichi and throwing her in the air. Pan looked stunned, but she seemed okay with the news as a smile crept across her face. Everyone else happily congratulated them and clapped. Marron looked at her feet and felt stupid. Here she was worried about last night when something like the birth of a new saiyan baby was just announced. She decided today was a day to be happy about Videl and Gohan and ignore her feelings about Trunks.

While everyone continued to celebrate and started eating their food, Goten arrived and headed in through the front door. He was mostly ignored, but one set of eyes turned and met his with a fiery blaze. Bra got up and walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway. Goten waved hello and pretended to head to the bathroom. Bra grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the bathroom, frantically looking around for her still absent father. "Goten!" She seemed frazzled, "I…I just wanted to say that…" Goten seemed unaffected by her frantic behavior. "Last night was awesome. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I got home…I didn't think you would still be there this morning. I'm so sorry that I let the cat out of the bag. If you still have feelings for Mare, then I understand and I won't bother you…" Goten grabbed her arms and held her tight. She looked startled, "What are you doing?" He looked down at the floor, but then moved his eyes slowly up her entire body. "Last night…was the best night that I've had in a long time. I don't want that to be the last time that I see you." She shrugged, "Don't you have a girlfriend, though?" He scoffed. "I called her and broke it off on my way over here this morning. She didn't even care. I think I was one of many. But you…" He stared into her eyes and kissed her. She kissed him back, but pushed him away after a few seconds. "My dad is here somewhere, Goten! If he hears us…see's us even! Oh, we gotta get back to breakfast. We'll talk after, okay?" She stood on her tippy-toes and kissed the tall saiyan on the cheek. She slipped out and mouthed for him to wait a few minutes before rejoining breakfast. The thought of sneaking around with her made Goten feel energized and dangerous. He liked that feeling.


	11. Chapter 11

Goten sat down at the breakfast table. The sixteen year old brunette beside him instantly grilled him with questions about his whereabouts during the previous night. His little sister's light blue, inquisitive eyes stabbed into him for the truth, immediately realizing that he was covering something up. "Seriously, Goten…since when do you come home with…that?" She pointed discretely at his neck. As soon as he reached his fingers up to touch his neck, a cold panic rushed down his spine. He had totally forgotten about the bite mark. Trunks could have seen it, anyone could have. He covered it and blushed violently, "Uh…yeah…freaky, huh?" Regine looked repulsed, "Seriously, Goten…you're so gross sometimes." He laughed awkwardly and pushed his chair out to stand up.

"Hey!" An angry, low voice growled from behind him, "Watch where you're pushing chairs out, kid!" Goten turned around and realized he'd pushed his chair right into Vegeta's side as he was walking by. "I'm s-sorry, Vegeta!" Goten held up his hands in surrender but quickly covered his neck again. Vegeta gave him a strange look but proceeded to take a seat next to Bulma at the table. Goten shot Regine a look and turned to head down the hallway. Bra turned the corner just as he did and ran into him. "Hey! Hey…could you give me a hand with something? I was just about to come look for you." She looked confused, but agreed happily.

Goten ran down the hallway, looking over his shoulder, still covering the bite mark. "I need makeup!" He whispered frantically. Bra squinted at him in confusion before laughing. He waved his hands around anxiously, "Seriously! I forgot about this!" He pointed to his neck and Bra realized exactly what he meant. "Oh! Yeah…follow me. That looks bad…" She headed right up the stairs and Goten quickly followed, still tip-toeing his way along. Bra rolled her eyes and laughed when she realized that he was still trying to sneak away from Vegeta, who had no reason to suspect anything out of the ordinary.

She stopped outside of a door with a large, red "B" on the front with glitter and various pictures of different cities around the world. Goten looked at the pictures briefly before her door opened to a room more lavish than he could have imagined. Her red walls were covered in posters, like any teenage girl's room, but her massive bed made even the nicest hotel room look like it was lacking something. To the left were a few modern-looking steps that led up to the giant, velvet heap of blankets and pillows. The four posts sticking out from all of the fabric held up massive, black velvet curtains around the bed that were tied back with hot pink tassels. Goten marveled at its royal composure with such a touch of her personality, considering he only had a small, twin size bed.

Bra walked to a large dresser in front of the bed and began to dig through the top drawer. "You can sit down for a sec. I gotta find a slightly different shade for you…I know I have some in here." Goten smiled and moved towards the bed. He stood to the side of it and flopped backwards on his back, sinking into the deep cushion of the expensive mattress happily. "Damn, Bra…I wish my bed was this comfortable. I'd sleep all day!" He looked up at the ceiling, and realized that the light in the room was a beautiful, silver chandelier. He marveled at it for a moment. Her lifestyle was everything that he wanted. He wanted to make a lot of money but always considered it to be out of his reach since his parents never really had much. Gohan proved that he was smart enough to get an awesome job and make lots of money. Even Videl got a really good job, too, but she came from money in the first place. Goten didn't have the brains or the motivation for jobs like they had, no matter how much his mother thought otherwise.

He began to think about what his future would look like if he had money. He had always thought being a doctor was the way to go, but when he switched his major to creative writing, he was just ready to get a degree instead of spend years in school. That point in his life was the time he realized that he was not the same as his successful brother. He felt bad about it at first, but once his mom had a degree in her hands, all was forgiven. He looked to the side of the bed at the bedside table with a huge, feathered lamp. Underneath it was a picture of Bra with Trunks, Marron, Regine, Pan and Goten at a much younger age. He smiled as he looked closer. They used to be such close friends back then, zero drama. How that had changed.

"Okay, you…sit up." Bra sat down next to him as he scooted up and crossed his legs. "Your legs are like…everywhere. You're so tall." He smiled, "Maybe you're just short. Without your monster heels that is." She scoffed. He'd always made fun of her heels, ever since she first started wearing them several years ago. "Shut up. I need you to hold still." She poked his side playfully and giggled. He leaned his head to the side and she began to work. "Whoa, that is cold!" She smiled and continued patting away at his neck. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt. He realized that she must have covered her's up as well because he couldn't see it anywhere.

Goten wondered what he could say to break the awkward silence while she worked on covering up their act. "So…do you bite a lot of guys?" Goten asked innocently, instantly feeling stupid for asking such a lame question. Bra stopped and gave him a characteristic Bulma face. "No, Goten. I do not bite people like a freaking vampire. I don't know what came over me last night." She sat back and looked at him from a few angles. "There. I can't see it anymore." Goten reached up to touch it, but she smacked his hand away. "Don't touch! You'll mess it up." He sighed and leaned back on his hands. "So…" He looked around the room and then back to Bra. She leaned forward a little bit, but began to laugh. "What's so funny?" Goten asked, confused. "It's just…who'd have thought I'd be sitting on my bed with my brother's best friend?" She shrugged and seemed to be amused by her own question. He smiled and agreed. As he watched her siting there, something from deep within began to stir and cause him to feel magnetized to her. He instinctively reached out and pulled her close to him. "W-what are you doing? People are here, Goten!" She tried to push him away, but couldn't seem to manage. He sighed, "I know…I guess I just…wanted to hold you?" He pulled her closer and wrapped both arms around her back. She softened and leaned into his chest to take in his delicious smelling cologne. "I…like this." She said as she nuzzled into him and felt a warmth from deep within. It seemed to radiate through her body and into his, as he began to feel the same. He hugged her tightly, but released her all too soon. "We should get back." He whispered quietly, before kissing her forehead lightly. She looked up at him and into his dark eyes, "We should." They seemed frozen in time, like one was waiting for the other to move. Just as they began to lean closer again, footsteps up the stairs startled them apart and Goten hopped quickly off the bed.

"Guys! What are you doing?" Regine asked as she bounded into Bra's room. Goten was standing over in the far corner looking at some pictures on a cork board, while Bra was sitting on her bed putting makeup back into a makeup bag. "Uh…Goten…get out of Bra's room." Regine put one hand on her hip, looking ever so much like Chichi in that moment. "It's okay, Gine. He was just helping me carry something." Goten nodded but continued to face away from Regine, clearly trying to calm down from the encounter that had almost unfolded moments earlier. "Whatever. Our dads are about to start their training with a sparring match…want to watch?" Bra nodded and said, "Yeah! We'll be down in a second." Regine nodded back and after suspiciously glancing at Goten, she headed back downstairs.

Bra heaved a sigh of relief and looked at Goten before giggling uncontrollably, like they'd just gotten away with a petty crime. He turned slowly and walked back over to the edge of the bed. Bra scooted towards him and smiled warmly before setting her chin on his stomach and looking up at him. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her back again, hugging her tightly. "It's okay. I'll only go when you ask me to." He laid his cheek on the top of her head and she closed her eyes. "What is this, Goten?" Bra asked quietly. He sighed, "Well…I'd say it's the start to something awesome?" She laughed and placed her arms around his waist. "Yeah. Something awesome."


	12. Chapter 12

As Vegeta and Goku readied themselves for an intense training session in the back yard, Chichi's cell phone rang. She answered it cheerfully, but her face quickly turned sullen and very upset. Goku watched his wife carefully, fearing the worst. As she hung up, she looked down for several moments in silence. "Goku…" She whispered, "We…we have to go to the hospital." Goku's eyes widened and he instantly kicked off into the sky in the direction of the hospital. Chichi turned to go back inside the house, "Wait, what happened? We were just about to train!" Vegeta practically hollered at Chichi. She turned and gave him a look of anger and hurt before walking through the door.

"Bulma. Krillin had another heart attack. The doctor's…well there were some complications…" Bulma shot out of her seat, spilling the drink that she had in front of her all over the table. Marron turned white in fear and Yamcha buried his face in his hands. "We have to go there now, guys." Bulma grabbed Yamcha's shirt and flung him towards to door. "Fly me there, now!" She exclaimed. He picked her up and left, much to Vegeta's discomfort. "I'll take you, mom. Videl, you can fly with us. Can someone take Marron?" Gohan turned and looked at the staircase, where Goten and Bra stood in shock. "I-I can." Goten hesitated, but he knew that this could turn out really badly. Bra tensed, but tried to let go of her self-centered ways for a moment. Marron was in fact still her friend and Goten did not belong to her. She dwelled on her last thought for a few moments.

Marron stood slowly and began to walk towards Goten, but could barely move. Her face was as pale as paper and her eyes were huge and bewildered. Goten gently picked her up and carried her outside, where he and Gohan kicked off. Bra walked over to Vegeta and looked at Master Roshi, who sat silently next to Regine and Pan. "I'll stay here. If you want me to." Vegeta said with his most sympathetic voice, "I mean…Bra can drive you." Bra looked at her father and frowned. Master Roshi looked up and sighed. "No, no…I can get there on my own." Just then, Trunks entered the house. "What the hell is going on? I felt everyone's ki jump up…what happened?" He looked genuinely concerned and frightened. Bra pointed at Trunks, "See, he can take Master Roshi. I'll stay here with Pan and Regine." Vegeta shrugged and walked outside to take off. Trunks helped Roshi outside and followed, leaving the three girls alone in the house.

"Well…this is awkward." Pan sighed and kicked her feet up on the table. "Ew, Pan…we eat there!" Bra snapped at Pan. She was annoyed, but not necessarily at Pan and quickly apologized for snapping at her. Regine smacked her feet off, "C'mon, Pan. It's not our house. You're so…ugh!" Pan stuck out her tongue and put her feet back up on the table again. Bra despaired, "I should go. She's my best friend…I mean, not that you guys aren't, too." Regine waved her hand, "Go, Bra. We understand. Pan didn't really know Krillin and someone has to stay here with her or she'll set the house on fire or something." Pan scoffed as Bra ran outside and took off.

As she flew through the air, her heart felt like it was going to explode. Every nerve ending in skin was firing horrible, cold shots of dread. She put herself in Marron's shoes momentarily and the thought of losing her father brought tears to her eyes instantly. Krillin wasn't supposed to die like this, she thought, their dads are warriors. She supposed that heart attacks were just as bad for anyone, even for a human as powerful and trained as Krillin.

When she arrived, everyone was in the lobby. The news couldn't be good, as everyone was upset or crying. When she walked through the doors, Goten looked up at her and shook his head. Krillin didn't make it.

Marron and 18 sat in the center of the circle, hunched up on the floor and sobbing. 18 looked like she herself could go into cardiac arrest at any point. Bra watched in horror and began to cry silently. Standing there alone and watching her friend caused the pain to feel raw and unnerving. She covered her mouth in shock when she noticed her mother was just as upset as 18 and in the indifferent arms of her father, Vegeta. Yamcha and Roshi sobbed with 18, and Goku was off to the side. He was leaning his back against the wall holding Chichi. Tears were rolling down his strong cheeks and he seemed like he wanted to die right along with Krillin. She imaged how it must feel to lose your best friend after not seeing them for so long. He never got to say goodbye. No one had ever seen Goku and Bulma so distraught.

Bra walked towards her mom and dad, but Trunks held out an arm and stopped her. She looked up at him, confused. "Krillin and mom grew up together. She needs dad right now, not you." Bra scoffed at Trunks. He rolled his eyes and continued to stand still, without emotion and crossed his arms. In some ways, Trunks was so similar to Vegeta it was scary. Bra then looked to Goten, who was standing away from the crowd now and looking up at the ceiling. She approached him cautiously, afraid of how he would react to her showing interest in talking to him in public. Her mind was in fact still clouded by the intense moment that they had shared earlier. Goten looked at her and for a moment, she thought she should turn around and walk away, but instead, he held out an arm and motioned for her to approach. She quickly ran to his arms and he let her cry into his sweater. Lucky for them, most everyone was comforting someone, so it didn't look suspicious at all.

A doctor came out from the hallway and asked for 18 and Marron to follow him. 18 stood up and took Yamcha's arm. "I…I need for them to come, too." She could barely speak. Master Roshi and Yamcha followed the two distraught women, presumably to discuss what happened and what to do next.

Videl sat next to Bulma, who had been holding onto Yamcha and rubbed her back. "It'll be okay, Bulma. We'll get through this. We get through everything together, as a family." Bulma sobbed into her hands. Videl rubbed her belly as if she were thanking the baby inside for still being alive right now. Bra wondered if that meant anything more than grief for Krillin. Gohan walked over and sat down next to them and also rubbed her belly, but their expressions were grim and looked worried. Bra wondered what they were actually thinking about.


	13. Chapter 13

Goten stepped out onto the back deck and watched the rain pour down onto the dirty city streets. The screened-in windows vibrated with each crack of thunder, shaking the Earth in fury. "What a storm." Goten whispered under his breath to himself. It had been three days since Krillin had passed away, and with yesterday being his funeral, it seemed that today the Earth was truly sad to have lost one of its greatest protectors. Goten stifled the urge to shed more tears at the thought of never seeing him again. Krillin could have been his father-in-law one day. It seemed so surreal that no matter what the circumstances turned out to be now, he would never get to hear anyone use that phrase to refer to him.

Goten leaned onto the windowsill and sighed. The house was silent in the night, almost like no one was even there. He could feel the tortured ki of android 18, who slept in a spare room to avoid going home. Just as another heave of emotions came over him, he heard a sniffle and looked to his left. He couldn't see anyone in the darkness, but he could hear them stirring about as if they realized they'd been discovered. He moved away from the windows and the sound of the pouring rain and felt the energy of the room. Whoever was there didn't want their ki to be read. He stealthily walked towards the back of the room and quickly peeked behind a stack of boxes, revealing the source of the strange noises.

A very upset Marron was curled up in the fetal position on the floor. She was crying softly and hiding her face. "Mare? What are you doing out here? You should be in bed…" Goten rushed to her side without hesitation. "Mare…talk to me." She buried her face into her knees and sobbed harder. He put his arms around her and held her tightly. He realized in that moment that in the past three days, he'd been avoiding her. He'd been avoiding comforting her in any way and spending all of his time with Bra. He felt badly for abandoning her, but quickly remembered that Trunks had been there. The thought hadn't bothered him since he'd been so interested in another woman.

Her body quivered and quaked with sadness as she reeled in sorrow. "Goten, I…I'm sorry. I just couldn't sleep. My mom wouldn't stop crying. Even when she does sleep it's just constant tossing and turning and talking to my dad." Goten plopped onto the floor next to her and scooted against the wall. "That sounds rough." He instantly regretted such careless words, but she didn't seem to mind. He wasn't sure if she even heard him. He got the feeling that just having someone next to her helped her to feel better. "My dad is dead, Goten. He…he died." She looked up at him with watery-blue eyes that caught the light of the lightning from outside. His heart tore for her as he looked at her sad face. He put his arms around her and held her. Her crying seemed to slow, but her expression was unchanged.

After several minutes, Goten began to drift off to sleep. The room was filled with only sounds of the rain and soft thunder. "Goten?" He jumped with the sudden burst of sound. "Y-yeah…what's up?" He looked down and her eyes were wide open and staring up at him. "Whoa...you look…better?" She smiled, "I was just thinking about some of my old memories of us." He laughed awkwardly, but suddenly got very uncomfortable "I mean, think about all of the fun times we had as a family. Dad loved you so much." He saw where she was heading and felt even worse. She still had feelings for him, but after the past few days with Bra, he'd finally felt like he was moving on. He thought of what Bra might do if she walked in and saw him sitting on the floor with her in his arms and quickly attempted to scoot up and move over.

"What's the matter, Goten?" She asked, holding her position steady as if protesting his movement. He swallowed hard, "Uh…nothing. I just…I'm kinda uncomfortable." She watched him closely. "Well…let me scoot over." She struggled out of his lap and onto the floor. "You know, Goten…I really feel lucky to have a guy like you in my life." She looked up at him again and he realized what was going on. He hadn't smelled it until now, but she'd been drinking. She was always such a lightweight, Goten thought. "You're like, the nicest guy ever." He considered her elated state and decided it was time to put her to bed. He leaned forward to inch his way up the wall, but Marron grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him suddenly.

It had been over a year since the last time he felt her kiss. He tried to back away, but like a cornered animal, he was trapped. His wide, open eyes looked at her in shock while tears began to flow down her cheeks. He considered how he might be able get out of this, but a small piece of him, locked away tightly, was starting to melt under her intensity. Somewhere deep inside of him, old feelings began to surface and old memories began to play inside of his head like a movie.

Somewhere inside of those memories, Trunks's face appeared. He pictured them together, Marron sad from grief with Trunks hunkered over her like a personal body guard. Goten may have a lot of respect for Trunks, but he was still wounded over the fact that Trunks had taken advantage of her at the restaurant and carelessly acted like she was just some girl. This was Marron. She was the most amazing girl that Goten had ever met and had an amazing life with great, supportive parents. Her parents never abandoned her like Goten's dad did. His mind contorted as he realized that all of things that made her so wonderful to him were now gone. Her father was dead. Her dad did abandon her, just not on purpose. His mind began to race with thoughts when Marron began to sit up and attempt to reach under his shirt. Goten pulled Marron close to him and began to kiss her like he used to. The feelings that he used to feel were surfacing, but with more intensity. She was like he used to be now, fatherless and alone in the world. Friends could never fill the void of having no father there to support and encourage you. He began to wonder why he left her in the first place as her soft lips moved down his neck and he began to kiss her shoulder.

A loud clap of thunder roared outside while they continued to embrace and kiss furiously. It seemed like they were drowning in forgotten passion until they heard a creek from the doorway and quickly pulled apart. Goten stood up frantically and looked down at Marron, who looked at the doorway. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

A brooding silhouette shadowed the doorway ominously. It lingered there for a moment, but then disappeared just as quickly as it came. Goten couldn't feel any ki energy levels, so he wasn't sure who it was. Marron looked up at Goten again with wide, scared eyes. "Do you think they saw us?" She asked weakly, "I…I'm so sorry!" She plunged her forehead into her knees and began to cry again. Goten sighed and rolled his eyes, "Well, this is just great." He looked at her and suddenly felt enraged that she kissed him. "What were you thinking? This was not okay." He began to pace back and forth. "How many times have I told you that we're over? Now this tragedy happens and you decide it's okay again? Did you think that me feeling sorry for you was just an excuse to get with me again?" Marron looked horrified. "I can't believe this! I have a girlfriend! I can't do this with you anymore!" He felt like cramming his foot down his throat as soon as the words left his lips. Was Bra really his girlfriend? He didn't even know what she was. All he knew was that he felt connected to her in a way that he never felt towards Marron. "You bastard." She said under her breath. He dropped his flailing arms and paused, "What did you call me?" Goten felt his anger rising. "You heard me. You have put me through hell. You created this situation tonight. You could have just left me very well alone tonight, but you chose to come over here and play savior!" She stood up from the floor and wobbled against the wall. He frowned, "I…I was just trying to be nice! We are supposed to be friends!" Her eyes seemed to turn to fire, "We can't just be friends! I love you, Goten!" He crossed his arms, "I _don't l_ove you!" She let out an exasperated groan of anger and stomped past him. He didn't mean to come across so harshly, but he didn't know how else to make her understand his feelings.

Goten stood alone in the dark for several minutes after he heard her bedroom door slam shut. He wasn't sure if anyone heard them arguing, but he was sure that he was finished talking to her. He was done comforting her and he was done feeling like he owed her anything. He looked out the window and watched the rain tapping on the ground outside. A loud crack of thunder startled him out of his deep thoughts and he decided that it was time to head to bed. His feet felt heavy as he turned, but he knew that he had done the right thing. If only he knew who had seen them in the moment, then his uneasiness would be relieved.


	14. Chapter 14

The next morning, Goten awoke to the fabulous smell of all things perfect cooking in the kitchen. The tantalizing smell of bacon seemed the most taunting. "Goten! Get up!" He heard Chichi call from the kitchen. He groaned and stretched out on his bed. He reached up above the headboard and hastily punched the wall. "Ow!" He rubbed his hand for a moment before throwing his long legs over the bed and struggling to stand. What a night, he thought to himself. He wandered over to the dresser and began digging through the suitcase that he placed gracefully on top of the dresser. He pulled out a blue t-shirt and black skinny jeans, tossing them on and checking his hair.

When he opened his bedroom door, the smell of eggs and toast added to the wonderful array of scents. "Goten!" his mother peeked out of the kitchen and into the long hallway, "Your food will get cold, lazy bum!" Goten swished his hand at her and entered the bathroom to brush his teeth. While he stood there, he thought of how awkward it would be to see Marron. Should he say good morning? If he ignores her, someone will know that something was up. Well, someone does know, but who? A cold chill rushed down his back and he almost swallowed some toothpaste. "Who…" he mumbled aloud as he pondered the horrifying thought. A small knock came to the door, "Yeah?" Goten figured that it was his mother again and opened the door. Trunks stood before him, dressed to kill as usual. "What's up?" He asked, foaming at the mouth with toothpaste. Trunks cringed at the sight and sighed, "Look, things have been weird with us lately. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for all the crap and I think we should, like…not fight anymore." Goten shrugged and smiled. He stood there silently for a moment and Trunks began to feel embarrassed. "Okay…then I'm gonna go…" He turned to leave, but Goten lunged forward and grabbed him for a big hug. Trunks flailed about and yelled, "Aw, you're gonna mess up my suit! This is worth more than you! Ahh, get off!" Goten laughed and gave him a pat on the back, "All is well with us, bro." Trunks rolled his eyes and smiled. They always had a way with each other that made things so easy after arguments. It was easy to forgive for both of them.

Goten returned briefly to the bathroom to finish brushing his teeth. Afterwards, he reached for the doorknob and just as he turned it, the door opened again and Bra ran in, giggling as she went. "Morning, stud!" She pushed him against the wall. "Hey! I gotta get out there before my mom…" She cut him off, kissing him quickly. "I know, I know. I just wanted a good morning kiss. Looks like my brother got a nice hug…can I have one, too?" She smiled devilishly and Goten melted into her arms. This girl, he thought, has a real hold on me for some reason. "How's your neck?" She asked, "Mine seems to be all healed." She checked, pushing his face to the side, "Yep. All better. No more makeup for you, cutie!" She kissed his cheek and skipped out into the hallway. "Come on! Let's eat!" She held out her hand. When he took it, she pulled him out, hugging him tightly again, and then bounded forward ahead of him. He couldn't help but notice her perfect figure as she floated down the hallway. "Damn." He said out loud, causing her to turn and give him an evil yet happy look.

She sat at the table and motioned for him to sit next to her, which didn't seem to surprise nor cause any attention from everyone who was already there. He sat happily when he realized that Marron was not present. "Wow, this looks great, mom!" Chichi turned and smiled from the stove, still frying something up. Bulma came in on her phone, talking quickly, dressed in a business suit with bright red high heels. "Yes, I'll be there. Yes. Yes, I can let know. Thanks!" She hung up the phone angrily and sighed, "Where's Trunks? He needs to come to this meeting! He's been skipping and the investors are getting curious!" She looked at Vegeta, who was standing wistfully at the window watching the rain. "Hun, where's Trunks?" Vegeta turned to her and shrugged, seeming annoyed. "I'm not his keeper, Bulma." She scoffed at his arrogance and stomped back into the hallway.

"Phew…I'm glad our house doesn't have so much drama!" Regine whispered to Goten. She was sitting to his right and devouring pancakes by the stack. "Have you ever wondered why saiyans have such a big appetite?" She asked half-heartedly with her mouth full. "Because we're awesome?" Bra answered happily. Goten felt warm inside. Sometimes he forgot how awesome it was to have a girlfriend who completely understood what it was like to be just like him. But wait, there I go again, he thought. He was starting to think of her more and more as his "girlfriend" and not just Bra anymore. He quickly devoured his breakfast.

"Bra…wanna go for an errand with me?" Goten asked quietly. "I wanna go out, uncle Goten!" Pan exclaimed loudly from the other side of the table. Goten gave her an angry look and Videl nudged her under the table. "You have…studying to do!" Videl lectured Pan, "Besides, let the grownups have some fun!" Pan rolled her eyes and slammed her elbows on the table. Bra laughed at Pan, but quickly answered Goten, "I would love to! As long as you take me shopping!" She hopped up, "I'm gonna go change!" She ran off, bumping into her mom. "Where the hell is your brother?" Bulma threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know, mom! I saw him leave with Marron just like, a few minutes ago!" Bulma made an angry noise and stomped out the front door. Vegeta laughed and walked over to hold an umbrella for her, which made Videl smile and "awe" at them. Goten's curiosity had been peaked, "So, where'd Trunks take Marron?" Videl shrugged, "I'm not sure. I didn't even see them leave." Just then, Gohan entered the room with Goku. Goten looked at them and wondered who in the room was the culprit from last night, as no one was acting funny. "Well…I'm heading out." Goten stood awkwardly from the table. "Make good choices!" Goku called after him, causing the table to laugh and Chichi to hug him for being so thoughtful. Was it my dad? He figured his dad might be the most likely to walk away and not realize what was actually going on.

Bra came bounding down the stairs in a white tank top and flowing, orange skirt. Her heels were high, like usual, but Goten got the feeling she wore them so she wouldn't seem so short next to Goten. He was 6'8" after all. "Let's go!" She exclaimed, digging through her purse for the perfect capsule. "Whatcha think…sports or luxury?" He wondered what she meant for a second, but then realized that she probably had every new make of vehicle as soon as it came out in those capsules.

He recalled his mother talking about Capsule Corp inventing their capsules. His maternal grandfather, the Ox King, thought they would simply fade out as a fad, since people preferred good ol' fashioned cars. Little did he know that a capsule containing anything from a motorcycle to a yacht to your house would be the fastest growing and most innovative invention for the next thirty years to come. Capsule Corp was constantly inventing newer and better things that all fit inside the magical capsule.

"I've found just the one! Is it raining?" Goten turned to look out the large window in the living room, "No. Looks like it just stopped." She jumped up in glee. "Yes! Okay let's go!" She ran outside and threw her hot pink capsule. Out of the puff of smoke was a bright red, brand spanking new motorcycle. Goten squealed in glee, "Oh, my God! This isn't even on the market yet!" She smiled, "I know!" He thought how delightfully cocky she was to be quite refreshing. "You can drive, hot stuff!" She tossed him the keys and he held back another cry of glee.

He hopped on the motorcycle and started the engine, delightfully enjoying every moment. Bra hopped on the back and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm ready!" He put the bike in gear and it took off into the air. It sure was great that even the bikes were hovering above ground now, he thought.

They flew into the city and Bra pointed at a fancy café. "Let's go there later! I've always wanted to go there for a date!" Goten blushed. She snuggled into his back, hugging him tightly, when he drove by his ex. She stood for a moment as they waited at a red light. "You jerk!" She called out, her friends soon joining the yelling. Bra looked over curiously and quickly asked Goten, "What the hell are they yelling about?" Goten turned purple with embarrassment, "Uh…she's my ex…I kinda left her for you…" Bra smiled triumphantly, not bothered at all by the idea that he may have cheated on the girl. She tilted her sunglasses up onto her forehead and called out, "Hey, you!" The girl, Valese, stopped yelling and look Bra in the eyes, "Are you jealous?" She stood up on the back of the bike and tilted Goten's head back, kissing him. When she was satisfied, she plopped back down onto the back of the bike and waved like a princess before Goten hit the gas at the first sight of a green light. Valese's mouth hung open, along with her friends'. "Well, she shouldn't bother you again!" They pulled up to a fancy store a short distance ahead and Bra hopped off. "I guess that means you're mine now!" She twirled around happily before running up and jumping onto Goten. He smiled, "Yeah…that was awesome. You're awesome." She kissed him and hopped down. "Shopping!" She exclaimed.

Just then, they noticed a couple in the store that looked vaugly familiar. "Oh, my God!" Bra knelt down at the window, attempting to be sneaky. "Goten…look!" She motioned for him to come over and creep into the window as well. "What the hell?" She grabbed his shirt and pulled him to the ground with saiyan force. "Look!" Inside, Trunks was buying something at the register. A blonde girl wearing a pink dress and yellow high heels was next to him, turned away from the window. "Who's that?" Goten asked. "I'm not sure…oh, God…" The girl turned around and wrapped an arm around Trunks, who kissed her happily. "It's…it's Marron!" Goten's mouth hung open as he watched the two. They were just as happy as he was with Bra, he thought. Trunks held onto her as she looked around the store and kissed his cheek. Goten backed away and stood up.

He knew that he was starting to fall for Bra, but a strange feeling of betrayal began to well up inside of him. After last night, he thought she was still in love with him. What was she doing hanging all over Trunks when she had only just kissed him instead? He began to feel angry. Was she just playing him to get a reaction? Maybe Trunks was too busy for her and she needed attention. He then recalled that Trunks was skipping out on work to hang out with her. He thought that maybe this had been going on for a while. "Ten?" Bra asked, still hunched over on the ground peering in on the two. "Sorry. Uh…this is weird, let's go." She looked up at him confused and turned back to the window. "Oh, crap!" She fell backwards onto the concrete just as the door opened and the couple stepped outside. Goten turned and instantly ran over to Bra. "Uh…hey…guys…" Trunks looked confused, "Bra? What are you doing here?" She slowly raised her eyes to him from the ground, "Uh…what's it look like…I'm on a date!" Goten cringed at the word. He turned to run away, but Trunks grabbed his shirt and threw him against the wall. "You…the girl from the other night…that was my sister?" He raised his fist to Goten, who hid his face and began to plead for release. "It's not what you think! Please! It's a long story, see?" Trunks began yelling, but Bra looked at Marron, who seemed to be horrified at Bra. "You're…dating Goten?" She seemed genuinely hurt. "You're still screwing my brother? I thought it was one time!" Trunks stopped and yelled at Bra for saying it out loud, but Goten punched him in the face just as he turned. "You slept with her?" His power level began to skyrocket. "Goten, you can't even go there! You slept with my sister!" Marron covered her mouth in horror. "You slept with my ex?" Bra shrugged, "So what? I do what I want!" She crossed her arms and swung her hair at Marron.

Trunks staggered back from Goten's punch, but didn't hit back. "Okay…clearly this is a really screwed up situation. Let's think rationally here." He rubbed his cheek angrily. The girls relaxed a bit, thinking that he'd come up with a calm solution. "An eye for an eye!" He turned and punched Goten in the face, throwing him back against the brick wall of the shop and breaking some of them in. "You freaking ass!" Bra stomped towards him to defend Goten, but Marron grabbed her arm and pleaded, "Look let's just stop this! Let's talk it over calmly!" Bra threw her off of her arm, "Never grab a saiyan princess like that!" She frowned with the ferocity of her father, Vegeta.

Just then, a voice came from behind them. "Okay guys, let's take a breath here." They quickly turned around to find Videl behind them. "Videl?" Goten asked weakly. "Look, let's stop the hitting and grabbing. Lady with a baby, here. Let's sit down and have a little talk before someone goes super saiyan on the side of the street." Trunks laughed, "Well, Bra won't because she can't!" He pointed at her and she attempted to bite his finger. "Guys! Let's go sit at that café and I'll get you some coffee. No biting!" Bra and Trunks angrily eyed each other while Marron stood horrified and Goten remained punched into the brick wall.


	15. Chapter 15

Videl began walking casually over to a table across the street. She sat down and waved the four of them over. Marron practically ran to her while Trunks glared at Goten and his sister. "Trunks, let's go." Marron took his hand and he allowed her to pull him away. "Oh, Goten…I'm so sorry. My brother had no right!" Goten coughed, "Yeah…no, he kinda did. You are his little sister. He just loves you. I'd punch someone for getting with Regine or Pan, too." He cringed at thought momentarily and began trying to pry himself out of the wall. "My hand is stuck…" He tried pulling on it, but Bra angrily punched the bricks and freed him. "There!" He smiled, "Thanks, princess." He kissed her cheek but quickly remembered that Trunks was staring at them and backed away, laughing and waving in surrender. Bra scowled and stomped over to the table.

"So…I guess I showed up at the perfect time!" Videl smiled and happily received her coffee from a waiter. Marron frowned, "I thought you weren't supposed to drink coffee when you're pregnant…" Videl laughed, "Look that one up! You can have up to three a day and research shows no effect on the baby. Come on girl, lighten up!" Marron blushed. She had never really gotten used to Videl's strange sense of humor when she was dating Goten. "So…what's the big issue here?" Goten quickly whispered to Videl, "Um…so I'm guessing it was you last night right? Please don't say anything about what you saw!" She looked at him in shock, "I have no idea what you're talking about…I don't want to know. Ew, Goten!" He flushed a bright red and slumped down in his seat. "Never mind…carry on." Videl scrunched her face at him, but continued, "So I assume the problem is that you don't like your best friend dating your sister…and you don't like your best friend dating your ex." Trunks and Goten nodded reluctantly. "Well! You have the power to take charge of your own life, not someone else's. Goten and Marron were over a year ago…we in the Son family know that well enough." She eyed Marron, clearly referring to her late night calls pleading Goten to take her back. Marron blushed again and slumped in her chair, mimicking Goten. "And Trunks…you want your sister with a good guy? Who better than the friend that you've had since, well I don't know, since he was born?" She seemed quite pleased with herself, but Trunks frowned, "I don't think I'd be comfortable with her dating anyone, period." Bra rolled her eyes. "Well, you can do whatever you want with whoever. If you're happy with Marron, be my guest." Bra snapped her finger and bobbed her head back forth as she talked, before crossing her arms and sitting back against the chair. Trunks took a gulp of his coffee and looked at Marron, "Do you want to add anything to this…clearly very coincidental intervention?" Marron peeked up at him and shrugged, "Well…I think we've all been under a lot of pressure and…maybe we're too involved with each other's problems. I'm sorry for the other night, Goten." Goten looked like a deer in headlights. "What happened the other night?" Bra looked at Goten with fury, "Uh, nothing! I don't know, we talked, that's all." Bra scoffed and looked out at the street. Marron angrily glared at Goten, realizing that he didn't tell her what happened. It was clear that she instantly regretting bringing it up, seeing as she didn't tell Trunks, either.

Trunks stood up frantically, "Um…I totally forgot about this meeting." He was holding his phone and appeared to be responding to a text. "Mare, I'm so sorry." Marron looked up at him slightly annoyed, "I asked you if you had to work today…" Videl waved her hand a few times, "It's fine, she can ride home with me! I just had to run some errands." Trunks thanked Videl and stopped to meet Bra and Goten's eyes, "I've got my eyes on you two…" He stomped off and threw a capsule, producing a very fancy sports car. Marron waved goodbye and Bra sighed, "Thank God he's gone." Goten laughed and put his arm around her, but Marron glared angrily. "Well, how about coming shopping with me, Marron?" Videl asked happily. "So you were literally just over here shopping? You didn't follow us?" Bra asked seriously. Videl smiled, "No, I didn't follow you. I had stuff to do today. We've been thinking about moving closer to the city." Goten raised his eyebrows, "Really? Mom's okay with that?" Videl shrugged, "We have the funds to get her and Goku a little place behind ours, like an in-law suite. I'd like to move closer to my dad. He's been having some health issues and I just wanna be closer." She finished her coffee and set the mug down before getting up from her seat. "Let's go, Marron! We can check some real estate around here if you'd like." Marron smiled and got up to leave with her. They waved goodbye and headed down the shop lined street.

"So…that was weird." Bra snuggled into Goten's shoulder. "Yeah, it was. It sure did feel like an intervention." He looked down into her big, blue eyes and smiled. "My friend is having a party tonight. Wanna go?" Her face brightened, "Party? Yes!" He laughed, "I'm guessing we need to go shopping now?" She threw her arms around his neck. "You know me so well!" She hopped up from her chair and pulled Goten along with her. "It's so weird dating another saiyan. You're as strong as I am!" She frowned, "No…you heard Trunks. I can't turn super saiyan. Neither can Pan. Maybe girls can't?" She pouted, "My dad says princesses don't need to be super saiyans because I'm already powerful without it!" Goten laughed and poked her cheek. "He's got that right!"

After a day of visiting stores that Goten had never even heard of before, he was exhausted. Bra had a bag or two from at least twelve different places and had to use another vehicle to drive them all home. As Bra sped forward in the car, she realized that Goten was sulking a bit. "Sorry we couldn't take the bike out again, I know how much you love it. I'll get you one from the garage when we get back. My mom has like eight of them because my dad likes to ride them." Goten's mouth fell open. "Your mom has…eight…Vegeta likes motorcycles?" He made a face at the thought of big, tough guy saiyan enjoying such a human hobby. Bra rolled her eyes, "He's a lot more fun than you guys even know. I love my dad." She beamed with such pride, Goten thought. Her father was supposed to be the king of their dwindling race one day, and perhaps she could have been queen. He laughed out loud at the thought of Trunks as a king, causing Bra to scrunch her face at him.

Vegeta had instilled such pride in their race into Trunks and Bra. Goku didn't even know he was a saiyan until his evil brother tried to kill Gohan when he was just a toddler. Goten felt that burning anger towards his father stabbing at his heart again. "I wish I would've been taught more about saiyan customs when I was younger. My mom was mad at me when I turned super saiyan for the first time…she said I wasn't allowed to do it again. She called me a monster." Bra laughed, "Well, I'm sure you and Trunks proved her wrong several times over. Gotenks is awesome." Goten gave her a surprised look, "You think Gotenks is awesome? Why don't you try fusion with Pan?" Bra sighed. "My dad doesn't like teaching the technique. He thinks it's looks stupid. Your dad wasn't around, so we never got to learn." Goten got angrier. "I hate that he left." He went silent. Bra peeked up at him and could see that this was something that truly bothered him.


	16. Chapter 16

That night, it was chilly outside and pitch black. Bra shivered when she looked outside of the kitchen window of Capsule Corp and pulled a scarf around her neck. She was nervous to meet all of Goten's friends at a party, but more nervous that those friends were also friends of Trunks and Marron. Even though she was only four years younger than Trunks, it felt like they were decades apart more often than not. She ran her fingers through her side ponytail, which she straightened and sprayed some glitter spray into. "Ah!" She exclaimed, startling Gohan, who was sitting at the table typing on his laptop. She ran into the hallway bathroom and began to dig through her purse. It seemed like the bag was endless at times. Finally, she found her lip gloss and applied it liberally in the mirror, smacking her lips and checking her eye makeup one last time. She loved the way she looked, and wasn't afraid to admit it. Her vanity and pure lack of concern for others feelings came naturally to her, like she was born to be the best. In her mind, she was the best at everything she'd ever done in her life. She thought briefly about the conversation with Goten earlier, when he instantly clammed up about his father. She frowned. Vegeta was a fantastic father. He was always reliable and always proud of her. Her mind wandered to the fact that she was still not a super saiyan, and Goten's comments about fusion flooded her mind. Why hadn't she ever fused with Pan? She remembered asking him to teach them when they were younger, but he never helped her train. He also never trained with her, something about not hitting girls. Vegeta just flat out refused to work on fusion with Trunks, and she remembered a few things about Goten being around at that age. She fumed for a moment over her lack of ability, but quickly remembered that tonight was all about first impressions, and perhaps the night that Goten would finally make it official.

She opened the bathroom door and walked out casually, but immediately ran right into her father. "Ah! Sorry, dad!" He frowned, "Why are you dressed like that? Isn't it kind of late?" She rolled her eyes, "Daddy…I'm almost 21! I'm going out with Goten…and Trunks and Marron." She quickly added on to her sentence to hide the fact that it was a date. Vegeta scoffed, "Just make sure you are safe." He blushed and crossed his arms, staring up at the ceiling. She smiled, "I will be safe, Daddy!" She lunged forward, throwing her arms around his huge muscles as if he were a giant teddy bear. "All right, all right, get out of here!" He turned on his heel and marched upstairs, clearly embarrassed by Gohan, who was smiling behind his computer screen.

Bra decided she should check on Goten to see what was taking so long and headed to his room. He had become quite comfortable at the Briefs household over the past two weeks, leaving clothes about and constantly leaving his cell phone all over the house. It was quite easy to lose things at Capsule Corp simply by forgetting which room they were left in. "Goten!" Bra called happily. He didn't answer. She knocked on his door lightly and heard a small gasp. "Goten?" She slowly turned the doorknob and peeked inside.

"Goten!" She called angrily, "What are you doing?" He shot off of the bed and fell face first onto the ground. "Holy shit! What time is it?" He was in his blue-striped boxers alone and looked like he'd fallen asleep after a shower. "I'm ready! Give me two minutes!" He frantically ran around the room grabbing his things and threw on the nearest shirt and pants. Bra began to laugh after a few minutes of frenzy. "You aren't allowed to laugh! You wore me out shopping all day!" He pointed at her and fell forward over his shoes. "Ow!" She sighed, "Well, if you didn't have such huge feet, you wouldn't fall over your shoes all the time!" She pointed at her stilettos, "It takes true skill to wear shoes like these. And you fall over your sneakers!" He scrunched his face at her, "They aren't sneakers! They're converse…there's a difference!" She sighed. "Whatever, can we go?" He stood up in front of her and stretched, "Yes, yes let's go. I'm sorry I had a nap!" He hugged her tightly, throwing her off balance for a moment. She loved the feeling of his long arms around her.

They headed outside and chose another sports car capsule, only this one was not a convertible. "Aw, why this one? I liked the one from earlier!" Goten complained. Bra looked utterly stupefied. "Goten. I can't ride in a convertible with my hair done!" He rolled his eyes and hopped in the driver's side.

As they drove off, Gohan stood in the window of Capsule Corp and watched. He knew something wasn't right with Goten lately, but didn't know what to do or say. Goku wasn't interested, thinking that he'd only make it worse, and Videl was too busy announcing their pregnancy and house hunting in the city. He decided that he'd let it go for a little longer, but made up his mind that he had to talk to Goten about Goku, and about everything else that he'd been up to lately. He felt like he'd practically raised Goten himself, so it was an obligation to offer his advice when he thought that it was warranted.

When Goten pulled into the party area, cars lined the streets on both sides. Bra looked around, "These houses are super small…where do all of the people fit?" Goten laughed, "We party with friends. It can get a little crowded, but it'll be fine." She frowned again, "Why are all of the cars on the street and not in capsules?" He sighed, "Some people can't afford capsule cars. A lot of people still have regular old cars." She gasped. It seriously surprised her that capsules weren't completely mainstream. Goten rolled his eyes, but smiled at her naïve response. "You look gorgeous, by the way." She blushed and posed for him in her seat. "I tried to do my hair like that night at the club, just for you!" As she showed off, Goten realized that he hadn't thought of that night for some time. At least not since Krillin died. He realized then that they'd only been intimate once and had since been dating like normal…this was not the way hookups usually worked for him. He pondered for a moment about just how into her he actually was, and the result made him take a deep breath for clarity. There were too many images in his head from that night, too many feelings, to continue thinking about it at the moment. Not with her sitting beside him in a low cut shirt and short skirt. He diverted a bit, "If you're so cold, why are you wearing a miniskirt with a scarf and jacket?" She looked down, forgetting the exact outfit she was wearing, "Uh, because…I'm awesome?" He laughed. Clearly, she was trying to impress him with her party wear. He was pretty sure she'd impress every guy at this party, considering the vast majority of his friends were indeed single guys.

They walked up to the house, a spilt-level, white home on top of a hill. It was one of many older homes along the street side. "Ready for this?" She smiled and shrugged playfully, placing one arm around his waist.

He opened the door to a booming loud party of all sorts of faces in the crowd. She'd never seen such a diverse mix of people! Hipsters galore, he fit right in among the skinny jeans and converse crowd. She watched him greeting people and glowed inside with pride. What a confident guy when he's around friends, she thought. She had yet to really see this side of him. He snaked his way through the crowd and into the open living room with black leather sofas and ran up to a guy sitting in front of the huge television set. "Here he is!" He clapped his hands down on the guy's shoulders, startling him, but he turned to greet Goten with a beaming smile. "Goten! You made it!" He stood up and his height was quite astounding. He was even taller than Goten, who was 6'4". He began asking Goten about life and attempting to catch up, but Bra interrupted. "Hey, sorry…can I get a drink? I like…know no one…" She smiled awkwardly and blushed. Goten laughed and put an arm around her shoulder. "This is Bra, she's my…she's here with me tonight." He stuttered a bit, "She was excited to meet everyone tonight!" The tall, blue-eyed boy with messy brown hair held out a hand warmly, "Nice to meet you! I'm Mikio, this is my place." She shook his hand, putting her nerves on ease a bit. "Let me introduce you to my girlfriend, she's around here somewhere…ah!" He scanned the room and motioned for them to give him a moment as he darted off to grab his girlfriend out of the surging crowd. "Sorry, she loves this dubstep mix, it's hard to keep track of her!" A girl with large, purple eyes and long, wavy, raspberry colored hair smiled from beneath her wispy, rocker bangs. "Hey! I'm Kazuko!" She waved happily and was red in the face. Clearly, she'd already been drinking. Mikio laughed at her, "We have to be careful when she starts drinking. Sometimes she runs out the door and we have to go catch her!" Kazuko laughed and held up her solo cup, "Drink! Have a great time! Woo!" She turned and melted into the crowd of dancers again, causing Mikio to become noticeably nervous. "Well, I'm gonna follow her around and make sure she doesn't get lost. We'll hang later?" He smiled at Goten, who nodded and waved.

Goten handed Bra a solo cup of what said "Mikio Special" on the side. "What's this?" Bra asked, sniffing the drink. "Oh, Mikio and Kazuko love butter shots. It's cream soda mixed with it." Bra shrugged and tried the mixture, instantly squealing with glee. "It's so sweet and…ahh, so good!" He laughed and held out a hand, "Shall we dance?" Bra grinned. "Hell yeah!"

Goten spun her around onto the dance floor. Instantly, she took to her moved that he remembered from that first night, only with precision that clearly was lost from all of the alcohol last time. He held onto her tightly and they danced well into the night, breaking now and then to get another drink, until they lost count. The music pounded and it seemed that they were moving in slow motion, grinding around on each other but also kissing frequently. Goten couldn't recall a time that he felt so complete. She was mesmerizing to him, twisting around and flipping her long, blue hair. He started feeling dizzy, but continued to dance with her. Drunk and happy, he picked her up and twirled her around, "Goten! Ah! Let's take a break." She kissed his cheek and folded backwards in his arm, spilling her drink on the floor. "Oops!" They both laughed and fell onto the nearest couch.

The lights were dim, aside from the colored lights shooting around the room and a disco ball somewhere in the house. She snuggled into his chest and laughed, taking another sip of her drink. He continued feeling dizzy, but smiled and tried closing his eyes. "Woah!" He exclaimed, "Woah, don't close your eyes. Ah, the room is spinning!" She laughed. "What are you, a light weight?" He leaned forward and rubbed his eyes. "Nah, I just feel weird." She was too drunk to really notice and stayed leaning against the back of the chair.

After resting for a few minutes, his stomach started to settle and the room slowed down. Bra was wiggling in her seat, ready to dance some more, when Trunks and Marron caught Goten's eyes. "Uh, oh…Bra, here comes trouble! I'm too drunk for this!" Goten stood up, falling back onto the chair, but raising up again. "Trunks! Hello, good sir!" Trunks laughed, "Okay, you are really drunk. We were kinda late, so I'm totally not at your level yet." Goten looked at Marron. "Why, were you crying again?" Trunks sighed, "Goten, stop. You are really drunk. Think before you talk." Marron shrugged, "It's whatever. I don't care." She was clearly bothered by not just what he said, but his appearance. He'd changed from average guy to hipster over the past year, and it was just not Marron's style. Bra rose next to Goten, grasping his waist to steady herself next to him. "Hey guys, go away, we're having personal time!" She squeezed him, causing him to gulp down a sip of alcohol and choke briefly. "Watch out for her. She gets violent when drunk!" Trunks pointed at Bra, who instinctively tried to bite his finger again. "Stop…pointing!" She pointed back at him. "Okay! We're going over here…don't get into too much trouble!" Goten gave Trunks a thumbs up, unnerving Trunks a bit. "Okay, let's find some quiet!" Goten picked up Bra and began to carry her towards the staircase. "Goten! I…I wasn't done dancing yet!" He scoffed, "We can dance anytime! I wanna lay down!" She giggled, thinking that he was alluding to another activity.

They found a bedroom that was empty and he stumbled inside. She fell forward, catching herself and laughed. "Oh, my God. I can't stand up anymore!" He grabbed her waist and flung her onto the bed, but before he could do anything else, he shot straight up and froze. "Goten? What's wrong?" She asked with slurred speech. "I feel...nope, I'm good!" He jumped onto the bed and began kissing her. She accepted happily, but he froze again after only a few seconds. "Goten. What is it?" She asked, pushing him away. "I…I think…oh shit…" He jumped off of the bed, looked around, and ran for the nearest window.

After an impressively long time hanging out of the window and hurling, Goten pulled his head inside and collapsed onto the ground against the wall. Bra sat with one strap of her shirt hanging off of her shoulder and her mouth hanging open. "That sweet stuff, man…it gets me every time. Mikio would kill me if I'd puked on his bed." He laughed half-heartedly and rubbed his forehead. "Geez, Goten. We didn't have to party so hard if you knew your limit was over!" She slid off of the bed and onto the floor next to him. "Do you feel better now?" He nodded pathetically. She smiled and laid her head on his arm. He fell completely silent for a long time.

"Goten?" She asked, shattering their silence like broken glass. He jumped a bit, but answered, "Yeah…yeah I'm alright." She frowned. "What's going on with you?" He took in a deep, heavy breath and sighed. "I gotta tell you something, okay?" He was clearly still drunk, but she was willing to take what she could get with his feelings. "I did something bad. I knew I shouldn't have, but she kissed me first. I stopped her, but someone saw, and then I yelled at her. I didn't mean to yell at her." He turned red with frustration at his own words. Bra sat back and watched him, mixed emotions filling her every nerve. "Who?" She asked, knowing the answer already. "Marron! Marron…that stupid Marron! I can't get away from her! I try to move on and she's there! I try to date and she calls me and then her dad goes and dies on her and I feel all bad and stuff!" He seemed to be welling up with emotions. "I felt like…that coulda been my dad that died! He did die! Our dad's died, Bra. And then they came back, thanks to the dragon balls, but Krillin is like…dead. He's gone. What if my dad never came back? What if I never got to meet him?" He seemed to go on forever, but Bra listened quietly.

When he'd finished pouring out his soul, tears were rolling down his cheeks and his face was purple with anger. "Bra, I'm sorry. I don't know what's happening." She sighed, "Well, you're drunk, hon." He looked at her, "Maybe, but I told you all of this for a reason. You had to know." She felt sad for him and took his hand, "Why? Why would you put yourself through this to tell me?" He swallowed hard and looked her straight in the eyes. "Because…despite anything and everything in my life, no matter how shitty or weird…these past few weeks have been the best of my life because of you." She held her breath, "I love you, Bra. I love you."


	17. Chapter 17

Goten opened his eyes to a pitch-black room. The floor was soft and smelled like freshly cleaned carpets, but his head was pounding in pain. He tried to sit up, but his body felt exhausted and achy. "What…" He whispered as he placed a hand on his forehead. He felt around him for something to help himself up and found what appeared to be a dresser or a bookshelf. He wobbled up, feeling the blackness spin as he attempted to steady himself. He still couldn't remember where he was.

He felt around in the emptiness, looking for some kind of light source. His phone appeared to be dead when he tried to use it as a flash light. Finally, he found the other side of the room and tried to flick on the light switch. It was already up. "What the hell…" he flicked it back and forth a few times before banging on the wall in frustration. He noticed a small ray of light from where he had been and hurried back over. A window was covered by black out curtains! He pulled them aside and realized where he was. He was still at Mikio's house, but there was nobody outside. The house was silent. He thought that perhaps he blacked out and everyone had already left. He suddenly remembered what his last words were. He reached up and touched his mouth with his fingertips, worrying that she left him here because she didn't feel the same way. His heart fell to his feet and a cold sweat rushed over him.

He decided to feel for her ki, or anyone's that may still be around. Closing his eyes and focusing away from the pain in his throbbing head, he felt for any ki energy in the general vicinity. He searched for Trunks and Bra first, but couldn't feel them. Then, he felt for Marron. Though she was a weak fighter, she still maintained some training from her mother and could be felt as more than a general human. She was nowhere to be found. As he was searching through the depths of their unspoken world, a ki he didn't recognize popped into his head. "Who?..." he said aloud as he felt the energy. "Help!" His concentration was shattered as a voice from downstairs cried out. "Help! Someone!" He ran towards the door and practically fell down the steps in panic. "Hello?" He called out. He could hear a woman crying, "Goten?" He realized that the voice belonged to Kazuko. "Kazuko! Where are you?" He felt along the wall until he reached the living room. It was dimly lit by one streetlight outside and he could see her outline on the floor.

"What the hell happened?" He practically shouted as he ran over to her. "My head…hurts…" She rubbed her head slowly and looked around. "Everyone is gone. It's like they vanished. The last thing that I remember is feeling really sick from drinking too much…I usually pass out drunk at these parties anyways." She frowned and looked up at Goten while he sighed in frustration, "Well, I guess I was feeling the same. Did you see Bra leave? Or Trunks?" She scoffed, "Does it look like it? I can't get up!" He looked at her feet and realized that her ankle was bent the wrong way. "Oh, God! Your ankle is broken!" She looked down at it and instantly started screaming. "How the hell?..." Goten stood and tried helping her up, "C'mon. We gotta get you to a hospital." She held out her arms and he effortlessly picked her up.

As they walked outside, they noticed that almost every car was gone. "Did we seriously just pass out and miss everything?" Goten looked up into the sky. It appeared to be early morning as the sun was just starting to rise. "Do you have a car?" Kazuko asked, painfully straining her foot up in the air. "I do, just…wait…" He looked down the street and realized that his car was gone. "I had the capsule right…" He reached into his pocket and the car capsule was gone. "That's what I freaking get for not using a capsule-keeper!" He angrily stomped forward. "Bra must have put it back in her keeper when I passed out." He sighed, "Well, I hope you aren't afraid of heights." She looked confused. "Why would that matter right now?" Goten grinned and shot off of the ground into the morning sky. "What are you doing?! Are we flying?! What the hell?!" Kazuko thrashed about in Goten's arms but before she could even realize the full extent to what was happening, they reached the hospital doors.

Goten ran in through the electric doors and instantly remembered Krillin's heart attack. It seemed too soon to be back inside this facility of death, in his mind. He felt a cold chill run down his back when he handed Kazuko to a concerned nurse who looked him over as if she thought that he had hurt her. Kazuko yelled in pain as her foot touched the floor briefly before being propped up in a wheel chair. He reached forward, as if trying to offer his help, but the nurse shooed him away and wheeled Kazuko down the hallway with the vending machines. "Goten! Find Mikio!" She called as her voice quickly became more distant. He sighed and rubbed his forehead.

When he looked up from the floor, he noticed a free phone charging station. He rushed forward and tossed his phone on the conveyer belt-looking device. His battery charged instantly to full capacity and flickered on. He grabbed the phone and began searching through his texts and calls, which revealed nothing more than a goodnight and be safe text from Chichi. He grumbled angrily and turned to leave, but his phone began to vibrate with messages just as he took a step forward.

Help. Help. Help. Help.

There were about ten messages that simply read help from Bra's phone. He froze in place and tried to think of what to do. The phone had suddenly become heavy like a brick in his hands when he dropped it and continued staring forward into space. His mind raced to dark places. Was she kidnapped? Beaten? Raped, even? He began to panic. She's a saiyan, he told himself, and she could kill someone with her bare hands. He panicked further. What if she was drugged? He crouched down and picked up the phone, clumsily dialing her number, but a girly voice quickly began saying "Hey, this is Bra! Leave a message or whatever!" As the tone screeched into his ear begging for a voicemail, a quiet "No..." Escaped from his mouth. He felt a tug on his heart and ran outside, taking off once again into the sky.

He had to get to Capsule Corp and figure this out. How could a night of fun turn out so badly? Where the hell was everyone?

He arrived quickly at the Briefs household and flung open the front door. Videl was crying in the corner and Chichi was hysterical with Bulma. "What the hell?" Goten couldn't speak further when Chichi ran forward and threw her arms around him. "Goten! You're here, you're alive!" She cried into his shirt and he held her tightly. "Mom…where's…where's dad?" He looked around the room, "Where's Gohan?" Videl looked up and cried harder. "Pan and Regine are gone, too. Vegeta…Trunks…Bra…everyone!" He scanned from the kitchen to the living room in horror to find Marron sitting on the couch, staring out the window. He pushed Chichi away gently and turned to Marron in fury. "You were there last night!" He stomped to her and grabbed her arm. "What happened?" He shook her quickly, but she pulled away from him. "Goten, get a hold of yourself! Trunks took me home early, shortly after you and Bra disappeared!" He threw his fist to his side and looked up at the ceiling. "So, where did all of the people at the party go?" His saiyan anger was rising. She bit her lip and clenched the couch beneath her fists. "They all left early! Cops busted up the place for loud music. I saw Mikio talking to them when we were leaving, but I never saw Bra. We woke up this morning and everything was all over the place and everyone was gone!" Goten stared at her blankly and began looking around more carefully. The furniture was destroyed, broken into pieces. Shards of glass decorated the hardwood floors with their sharp corners askew. There were holes in the wall and a door in the hallway was hanging on hinges. "What…how could this have happened?" Bulma sniffed loudly, "I think that…we were drugged." Videl cried into her hands again, clearly worried about the baby that she carried being injured by whatever might still be in her system.

The only item in the house that wasn't broken appeared to be the couch that Marron was curled up on. He looked around it, but couldn't see any clues as to what happened. He decided that he'd check around the house, just to be sure.

In his room, his things were tossed about and the blankets were on the floor. He moved to each room, looking for anything that could explain what happened. It was only then that he found a trail of blood leading down the hall and out to the back deck. The same screened in deck that he'd kissed Marron on only a few nights ago. He took a step onto the deck and to his horror, the blood trail ended at a window. The window's screen was bashed through and blood stained every fiber. He backed away feeling sick and held his stomach. He leaned against the wall and coughed once before falling to the floor, inches from the blood trail. "Where are you?" He thought of his family, of their family...of her. The only thing that he'd wanted in so long was the blue-haired, saiyan girl he'd grown up knowing. So much time wasted, he thought. He stood and decided that he'd have to be the one to save them. It was all up to him now.


	18. Chapter 18

The air smelled of fresh rain as a cool breeze swept across her face. She opened her eyes to a tall man in front of her holding out his arms, inviting her in. His smile was warm like the sun. She could feel his touch on her arm and could smell his wonderful scent when he pulled her close to his strong chest. She laughed and he kissed the top of her head, running his fingers through her silky, blue hair. She felt so happy and relieved when she looked up and saw his lips mouth the words, "I love you." Her heart was about to burst with joy. She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. His smile ceased and turned to a sad frown. He began to move away, further and further into a darkness that engulfed him. She saw tears run down his cheeks and he reached for her, but she couldn't reach for him. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't breathe.

"Goten!" Bra screamed loudly as she woke from a deep sleep. She jolted forward, but her arms were chained above her head and her efforts to struggle seemed futile. "What the hell?" She gained her footing and looked up at the chains. "What kind of sick…" She trailed off when she looked up and saw her brother across from her. He was also chained, but limp and on his knees, only held up by his chained arms. She began to panic and looked frantically around the room. It was dark, but light from the window hinted at an early morning sun just outside the walls. Cement blocks stained from time surrounded her and led her eyes down to a filthy floor lined with old and beaten stones. She let out a horrified gasp when she raised her eyes and saw Pan, Regine, Gohan, Vegeta and Goku all chained the same way as she was. There was a small man who resembled Vegeta in the corner as well, but she didn't recognize him. Her eyes returned to her tattered brother. "Trunks!" She called out to him, but there was no movement or response from anyone else in the room. His clothes appeared to be torn and bloody, as though he'd put up a real fight. Panic began to fill her lungs as she thrashed about and pulled on her metal prison. Her clothes were also tattered and her wrists were bloody from the ancient looking cuffs around them. "What do you want?" She screamed to the old, wooden door at the opposite side of the room, "Let us go! We will kill you!" She pulled and pulled on her cuffs but nothing but dirt and rubble falling from the ceiling appeared to be happening.

Just then, the door opened. A large man with a black cloth over his head walked in, followed by a man in a wheelchair with no legs. The large man began to wake everyone up by smacking them hard across the face, each time appearing to get more aggressive. The man in the wheelchair laughed as they awoke angrily. "What the hell?" Vegeta angrily spit in the man's face and instantly turned super saiyan, thrashing about just as Bra had done. Trunks looked at Bra and weakly coughed. He really did appear to have been the only one that truly put up a fight. Perhaps he was the only one conscious when it happened. He looked at Vegeta, but froze when his eyes landed on the small man in the back. "Uncle Tarble?" The man looked up and realized what was happening. "Where…where is my wife? Where is Gure? What have you done with her?" The man in the wheelchair laughed loudly as the large man returned to his side. "I have disposed of the creature that accompanied you to my doorstep, Tarble. She did not have any use to our grand plan. Tarble's eyes welled with tears and he slumped down to his knees, hanging from his cuffs. "You…you bastard!" Vegeta stopped thrashing and growled, "Tell us what you want!" Bra realized that the small man was in fact the younger brother to her father that had been mentioned from time to time. She felt sad inside when she realized that if they'd killed her aunt, they could have killed her mother and family as well.

The feeble old man cleared his throat. "I am Oca. King Oca of the saiyan race." Vegeta's eyes grew large and the anger boiled within him. "Oca! You were thought dead! What business do you think that you have taking our royal name?" Oca smiled deviously, "Oh, Vegeta…but it was your father who stole the royal title from me, not me from him. You have no idea about your pitiful reign's history." Vegeta's eyes burned with anger. "Vegeta, try to stay calm, he's trying to get you angry." Goku said softly, clearly afraid that Vegeta was going to cave the ceiling in if he pulled on his chains any harder. Oca sighed, "Kakarot, or on Earth known as Goku, son of Bardock…what pride Bardock would have had in you if he could have seen the magnificent warrior that you became. Unfortunately, you never lived up to the potential of a saiyan warrior. As pure saiyans, the three of you disgust me…defending your pitiful planets just because you mated with the inhabitants and created these interesting abominations." Gohan and Trunks tensed for a fight, but Bra looked anxiously at Regine and Pan with tears in her eyes.

Oca looked around, confused. "Lan, there should be another here. Kakarot has two boys. Where is the tall, stupid one?" Bra's glance shot angrily to Oca. "Oh, so you belong to Goten? This one seems protective of your younger boy, Kakarot. That's a good thought, keeping your saiyan blood alive by mixing two half breeds." Vegeta's mouth fell open before he scoffed angrily. "Well, no worries. We'll find him. I suppose you're all wondering what you're doing here…I'll tell you." He pushed a small knob on his wheelchair forward and moved to the middle of the dungeon-like room, revealing to them all that he actually had a saiyan tail tucked around his waist. "I am a true saiyan. I have destroyed planets, I have destroyed people…I am the ultimate warrior. Or I was, until one of you cut off my legs and crippled my strength. I have since become weak and unable to care for myself. It's pathetic really." Tarble began to tremble, revealing that it had been him who took the legs from another saiyan. "It was many years ago, Tarble. Perhaps your greatest accomplishment before you became a recluse and let your strength dwindle to nothing." He turned the chair around to face Regine and Pan, "But then I found your planet and your…children. I did not realize that we could mate with other species and create such powerful offspring. I also never considered it an option, as it is rather disgusting." Pan frowned angrily, "I am stronger than you could ever hope to be no matter how much saiyan blood runs through my veins!" Gohan hushed her, but her confidence was unshaken. "I am aware that you are a quarter-blood. This is interesting, which is why you are all here. I hope to create a super race. I have access to technology that your creature, Bulma, doesn't even know about." Vegeta, Bra and Trunks gasped as they heard him say her name. "I will control this race and soon take my place as rightful king. They will worship me and carry out any command that I wish. I will find favor and strike fear into the hearts of the powerful warriors from our multiple universes. It will be perfect. I will wipe out your saiyan race easily seeing as all but one of you are in this very room. I could kill you at any moment, but first, I must experiment with your DNA. From you will come a new and powerful race, the archaiyans." Everyone gasped, realizing the horrifying truth.

He turned his chair and began to exit the room. "We'll find Goten Son. Until then, please make yourselves comfortable. I will return soon to take my first experiment in." Oca and Lan left the room, leaving the eight saiyans alone in the dungeon once more.


	19. Chapter 19

Goten decided to venture back to Mikio's house to see if he could find any trace of where everyone seemed to have disappeared to. He was genuinely disturbed by the blood he found at Capsule Corp, but figured that sitting around worrying would only make it worse. Marron convinced him that she should come along to help, but he felt responsible for her. He hadn't seen her spar in a long, long time, so considering the gravity of the situation, he was worried that she'd more or less get in the way instead of be a helping hand.

As they flew through the cloudy morning sky in Marron's small, purple car, Goten tossed and turned in his seat. "What are you doing? Sit still." Marron complained as she sped along with a sad and worrisome look on her face. Goten rolled his eyes and sat on his left foot before retorting, "Your car is way too small for a guy my size. I don't understand why you wouldn't just let me fly the normal way. Better yet, I don't understand why you had to come." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his tiny seat, crunched up uncomfortably with his right foot on the dash. Marron smacked his leg down. "I don't like flying the "normal" way, Goten. I've told you that. I'm not very good at it and you fly too fast for me. Also, I just needed to think. I feel like I know something happened, like I saw it, but I just can't…see it." Goten sat up as best he could, still sitting on one foot, and pressed his forehead against the window. Marron glanced at him and sighed, "You're worried…about her, aren't you?" He didn't answer. "Aren't you worried about Gohan and your dad?" Goten sighed, "No. They can handle themselves." Marron scoffed, "You know, at least you still have a dad. You should be grateful. He's done so much for us." Goten turned to her and looked her straight in the eyes, full of anger. She looked away nervously, realizing that she'd stepped too far at this point in time. With Bra missing, it seemed like Goten had become a loose cannon, ready to fire at anyone and anything that got in his way. "My father has done so much for us? What about me? We've had this conversation, Marron. Don't try and act like we're okay. I didn't even want to bring you. I wanted you to stay at home, but like usual, now I have to worry about you on top of everything else that is complete shit in my life right now." He kicked the dash slightly and put his right foot back up onto of it, leaning against the window and covering his angry face.

Marron knew Goten, or at least the person that he had been for his entire life. She could see that he was changing into a different person. It wasn't that she thought he was turning into a bad person, but another side of him was surfacing. He was wounded deep inside by so many things, it was as though he thought everyone was out to get him and truly believed that it wasn't just his paranoia. She noticed that he was tapping his fingers against the center console of her car, something that he did when he was very upset but holding back. She felt bad that she'd brought anything up at and didn't just sit quietly. It was a relief to finally get off of the highway and turn down the street that Mikio lived on.

"I'll go in. You just stay here. I may need backup or something…" Goten grumbled as he wriggled out of her car and slammed the door shut. Marron watched him as he slowly approached the little white house cautiously.

He couldn't feel any ki around the area at first, but he decided to stop and concentrate for a moment. He used his energy to feel around in the dark space, seeing energy of nature and technology as colors amidst a sea of nothingness. Just as he was about to give up hope, a jolt of energy surfaced through all of the feelings and appeared red in color, something indicative of someone who had been gravely injured. He couldn't tell who it belonged to, but he ran forward in its direction worried that it could be Bra.

"Bra?" He yelled as he entered the woods behind the house. Inside of his mind, he could see the energy flicker, as though it was dying. "Bra!" He ran as fast as he could towards the feeling. It was a strange sensation, one he could only remember feeling when he was about to lose his father for the first time after meeting him. He didn't want to be abandoned again. He didn't want to lose her.

"Bra!" He called again, panicked and out of breath. "Help!" He heard a small voice call from nearby, but it wasn't Bra's voice. "Mi…mikio?" Goten yelled in surprise. He heard a rustle of some leaves and ran towards them. There, Mikio was on his back and clearly near death. Goten rushed forward and picked his head up from the dirt. "What happened? God…we need to get you to the hospital!" Mikio laughed at Goten's urgency. "I'll be okay. I'll live. I'm like you, Goten. I can…make it…" His eyes glazed and he lost consciousness. "Mikio!" Goten began to scoop him up into his arms when Marron came running forward. "Goten! Is he okay? Oh, God!" He was covered in blood and the sight horrified Marron. "It's okay, he's alive…we have to get him to a hospital. Forget the car, I'm going." He kicked off of the ground and blasted off towards the city, causing Marron to fall backwards from his energy. "Oh…kay…" She whispered as she watched his silhouette disappear into nothing.

Alone and afraid, Marron got to her feet and brushed off the leaves stuck to her dress. She turned towards the house and decided to have a look without Goten. She was confident that she could defend herself if she really needed to. She thought of her father, Krillin, and felt sick inside. She wished that he was still here to protect her and her mother. She felt a rush of grief coming, like a wave in the ocean about to hit the side of a cliff, and stifled the feeling. Now was no time for another stage of her grief to surface, she thought. It was time to help their friends find a way home.

She started crunching her way through the woods and back to the house. The back deck was covered in beer and solo cups from the party, as though everyone was still passed out inside and hadn't cleaned up yet. The house being empty was simply unnerving. She slid the unlocked glass door open and walked inside, carefully shutting the door behind her as if someone might hear her. She tip-toed past the kitchen and into the living room and sat down on the black, leather sofa. She envisioned what she saw that night with Goten and Bra sitting together and cuddling as though they were inseparable. She felt a jealous pang hit her like a ton of bricks. Why did he choose Bra over her? Why was their relationship such a complete and utter failure? She sighed, but quickly realized the most important fact in all of this. She hadn't thought about Trunks since they left Capsule Corp. Did she even really have feelings for him? It felt like he was just another body that they had to rescue, not that he was any more important than Goku or any of the other saiyans that had been taken. She leaned forward and put her face in her hands. Did she even really have feelings for Trunks or was it just appealing to date such a rich and powerful man? Was it just nice to have constant attention after being ignored by Goten for so long? Tears started to stream down her face. She plopped back against the back of the couch and sunk into the plush leather. That's when she noticed a glass still partially full on the table. It had been Bra's drink the night before. She picked it up and looked into the green liquid, still fizzing from the bottom. "That's odd…" she whispered to herself as she examined the contents carefully. She decided it was a good idea to take the drink back to Bulma. Perhaps they could figure out if it was really a drug or something else. She rose from the couch and clutched the cosmo-glass tightly. This could be their ticket to some answers. Mikio's face flashed across Marron's recent memories and she heard his last words in her head, "I'm like you, Goten." She scrunched her face and considered the possibilities. There was no way that he was…a saiyan, too? She pushed the idea out of her mind and started out the front door. She had to get to the bottom of this and figure out where everyone was, if not for any other reason but to decide how she really felt about Trunks and if she could finally, once and for all, get over Goten.


	20. Chapter 20

Back at Capsule Corp, Bulma had begun to test the drink that Marron brought back. She was only in her lab for a half hour before coming out with a very disturbed look on her face. "I think…I think it's a type of poison." Bulma said grimly. Videl gasped and placed a hand over her stomach, but Bulma shook her head. "I think that it only effects your cognitive awareness. In other words, it only effects your ability to remember what's going on. It seems like it's from another planet. Some type of plant material is the main ingredient." She leaned against the countertop in the kitchen and sighed, "I'm worried. And scared." Chichi looked up with an irritated look on her face, "Bulma! You're supposed to keep a level head! Our husbands have faced some of the most horrific and powerful opponents…none of which could have been powerful enough to subdue them all at once. There has to be a loop-hole here that we aren't seeing…" Bulma scoffed, "You think I'm supposed to keep it together for you? They have my husband and my children!" Chichi stood up from the table, "They have my husband, children and grandchild!" They crossed their arms and stomped to separate rooms. Videl leaned on the table and placed her head in her hands, crying softly. "I just want Gohan and Pan to be okay…this little girl or boy needs their family. And Goku had just come back…what if this is it?" Videl began to get hysterical, so Marron scooted over to her and hugged her tightly. "It's okay. If anyone can find them, Goten can." She marveled at the temperament of her own words. So calm for such a flustered mind, she thought. Just then, the door opened and Goten stepped through.

"Oh, my God!" Videl pointed in horror at the blood covering Goten's hands and shirt. "No, no! I'm fine! It's not mine!" Videl's face contorted at his words, "No! I mean I found my friend all beat up and took him to the hospital! I didn't hurt anyone!" She relaxed and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Your mom is a wreck. Her and Bulma just had a fight." Goten frowned, "Now of all times?" He rolled his eyes and sat at the table, two seats away from Marron.

"So, Mikio said this huge guy with a black mask attacked him. He said everyone started dropping on the floor, passing out. There was this big vibration and what he saw as a spaceship landed in the yard. The big guy came in and took Bra first, because she was hanging onto the railing trying to run down the stairs. Trunks tried to fight him, but he was no match on the drugs and got beaten up pretty badly. When he was being thrown around, he landed on Kazuko, who was already passed out. That explains her broken bone." Marron looked confused, "But…I thought that I remembered leaving. How can I not remember any of this?" Goten sighed, "I think it's because you're human. Humans seemed to pass out instantly. We were fighting it because we're saiyans." Marron's eyes got huge. "Does that mean…is Mikio?" He looked up at the ceiling and leaned back in his chair, placing his arms crossed behind his head. "Yeah. He's half saiyan like Bra, Trunks and me." Videl rose her head and looked stunned. "He was adopted, but he knew about us from growing up with us and figured it out pretty early on." Goten continued, seemingly unfazed by his own words. "He said he hid in the closet until they found him, beat him to a pulp and left him. They didn't know he was a saiyan to take. He hadn't been drinking at all, so they thought he just wasn't influenced…or drugged…or whatever." Marron gulped and looked at her intertwined fingers. "If Bra and Trunks were taken at that party, why weren't you?" He leaned forward and started tapping his fingers on his leg again, "I was passed out from drinking too much already. They couldn't sense that I was even there because I was already unconscious upstairs. I bumped my head on the damn dresser when they landed and that's the last thing I remember.

Just as all hope seemed lost, Goten's cell phone started to ring. He answered and his face lit up with concern. "Who is it?" Marron asked, but Goten swished his hand at her and got up from the table. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Yeah, Bra's mom tested her drink from the party and said it was some kind of alien vegetable thing or something. Yeah. What do you mean?...You're kidding. Okay. Thanks." Goten hung up looking like he was ready to fly out the door again. "Goten! What happened?" Marron was getting frustrated with his lack of communication. "It was Mikio. He said Kazuko had his phone. Someone called it last night looking for him, but she didn't give him the phone. It was a strange number, but he just tracked it and it came from some warehouse down south of the city." Bulma emerged from the hallway just as he was explaining and quickly chimed in, "How the hell does he know that if he's in the hospital?" Goten sighed, "Well…okay I had some senzu beans on me and revived him as soon as I had the chance. I was in a panic at the house and just forgot." Bulma looked confused, "That still doesn't explain how he could track a device…" Goten smiled, "He's a total computer genius. He can track anything. Did you hear the mind blowing part earlier? He's part saiyan! I think he came here just like my dad." Bulma practically fell to the floor with shock. "What? Another saiyan? Why didn't they take him?" Goten shrugged, "We think it's because he wasn't drinking and wasn't fighting anything. He's not trained and so I'm sure even when he's angry his ki is very low, maybe similar to Videl's." Videl shot him an angry glare.

"Well, are you going to this warehouse?" Bulma asked Goten excitedly, "I mean…I can't stand just sitting around here!" Goten nodded, "Yes. I'm going. And you're not!" He turned and pointed at Marron. She had already been starting to stand up, so she slowly lowered herself back down into her chain and sulked.

"Be careful, Goten. Bring them back to us…" Videl hugged Goten tightly. He patted her head and smiled, "Have I ever let you down, sis?" She laughed, thinking of her memories of Goten when he was just a little boy. He hugged Bulma, who held up her finger and ran down the hall. "Chichi! Get out here and say goodbye to your son!" Chichi flung her door open and sniffled. "Oh, Goten…please bring them back to me!" She threw herself into his arms and held on tightly. "Mom…it'll be okay." He waved and headed for the lawn. He kicked off and hit the air hard, ready for anything.

It seemed like the flight was over before it started. His watch beeped when he hit the location and he dropped a few feet to hover and observe. He couldn't see anything, but he could certainly sense someone powerful. "That's not you…is it dad…" Goten whispered to himself. He started to worry about his father, realizing that the last time he saw him was less than pleasant.

He landed on top of the roof and was very careful to hide his own power level. He figured that the people that had him were able to read ki as well. He tip-toed across the roof and found a door that was locked with a padlock. "Ha…okay…" He held the padlock in his left and chopped it with his right, snapping it in half like a twig. He stepped inside and looked around, feeling as though he could be attacked at any minute.

The staircase that followed was very dark. He felt like he was entering a medieval cave. With every step into the darkness, he felt the stone beneath him cringing to give way. It had clearly not been stepped on in a long time. A rat crawled across his feet, giving him a cold chill down his spine and causing him to squirm down several steps without thinking. That's when he felt it.

A very high ki level was approaching him, and fast. He looked around in the darkness but figured that flying up would be useless and expose him, so he continued to edge his way down practically flat against the wall. "Who's there?" A voice called from afar, but Goten held his breath. The footsteps started coming closer, and Goten was almost ready to attack. He tensed and moved into position, but just before he lunged, another voice called out, "What are you doing? Master wants us to start with experiment one now. Something about a girl with blue hair. Imagine, a saiyan with blue hair." The two surly voices laughed together and began to leave, but Goten's anger was beyond controllable. He felt his energy spike and the footsteps stopped again. "Did you feel that?" A low voice asked. There was a slight pause before a raspy voice answered, "I felt it. Someone is here." Goten couldn't wait any longer and powered up for the attack.

He shot forward down the stairs and found the two men instantly. He began punching them with all of his fury and pushing his way forward. The men were holding their ground, clearly not human fighters. "Calm down boy, you'll use all of your strength up and we won't be able to play!" The raspy voice said with a laugh, but Goten didn't let up. His super saiyan form glowed like fire and lit the entire hall. The stairs had ended in a large room, clearly underground as there were no windows. The floors cracked under the fight and the walls shook with echoes. "I said…that's enough!" The raspy voice powered up and knocked Goten backwards against the wall. "You've been a bad boy!" The men were both wearing black cloaks and had muscles on top of muscles on top of muscles. Goten was beginning to wish he would have waited. He lunged forward for another attack, but something from behind swooped down and hit him on the back of the head, knocking him unconscious.


	21. Chapter 21

The room was spinning when the voices of the strange guards blurred together in Goten's head. It felt like a rush of speed was filling up inside his head and begging him to stay down He struggled to open his eyes, but they kept closing. The fight to see his surroundings seemed just as exhausting as the physical altercations had been moments earlier. He tried to move, but he could feel the cold stone below him and took comfort in the sleepy feeling. It felt so good to sleep, he thought as his head began to pound in agony. He could hear the voices more clearly now as they were laughing and talking about what they were going to do to him. They contemplated chopping off his limbs so that he could feel the pain that his grandfather inflicted upon someone named Oca. He wondered who that person might be and cringed at the thought of someone chopping off a limb. He even briefly considered if an arm or a leg would be a more horrible loss, deciding that if he had a choice, he would rather lose his legs. At least he could still fly, though he would miss the height that he always had over everyone else. His tired mind began to wander until he came to a memory from the party that had gone awry.

Bra was standing in front of him in her heels and an outfit to die for. She flipped her hair away from her face and smiled. He loved that smile. He reached out for her and she came close, nuzzling against his chest. She smelled like candy and fruit mixed together into a mysterious basket of yummy scents. He leaned down to kiss her pale face, but she pulled away and poked him on the tip of his nose. "Makeup!" She smiled and kissed her finger before placing it on his lips. He treasured moments like those with her. He wanted to have more moments of joy with this amazing woman.

A cold, morbid chill ran down his back and all the way down to his toes as he snapped out of his daydream and opened his eyes. He heard the raspy voice croak, "Say, do you think he's claimed the blue-haired girl yet? She got pretty upset when we talked of killing him in front of her." The other voice coughed out an evil laugh, "I doubt that he has the balls to claim a woman. Of course, they say it is involuntary who you mark as your mate. But that's a purebred saiyan…this kid is nothing more than an abomination, just like the girl, which is why we must destroy him and his other…disgusting counterparts. Who knows if that's actually what's going on there. We should get back and get started on her before she does something stupid out of obsession for this sorry excuse for a saiyan." He began to rise, as they were both seated on the floor trying to recover from Goten's fury. The third man was standing aside, not speaking. His face was covered as well, but his body was lean and less bulky than the other two guards. His physique distinctly reminded Goten of super Buu, a thought that covered Goten's arms in goose bumps at the very instant he realized the similarities.

Thinking on their conversation, Goten remembered the bite from the night at the club. Was it really a mark of love? Soul mates? It wasn't just some freaky display, it actually had purpose? His mind raced as the men began to walk towards him. That must be why Bulma always wore neck scarfs when she first married Vegeta, he thought. He remembered how Trunks used to make fun of them, saying she never took them off and was obsessed with them. Then he thought of his own mother and fighting back the urge to reel at the idea, he remembered her wardrobe. Constant turtle neck dresses could hide her secret, as well. He tried to move again, but the feeling of cool stone against his cheek continued to pull him in like a magnet. He just couldn't unstick his beaten body from the desperate situation that he was in.

The dark room was brooding and disturbing the more that Goten thought of dying there on the floor. He started to wiggle his fingers and soon was able to make a fist. Yes, he thought, keep trying. He started to move his arm, straining as he went, until it happened. His arm flew from its frozen state and his hand landed flat down onto the hard surface of the floor. "He's awake already!" The grisly, raspy voice growled. Goten heard the footsteps stop, but he knew that they would strike at any second to gain the upper hand. He pushed himself up onto his waist and yelled in anger as he saw the guards begin to move in slow motion towards him. They were running and they were saiyans. This battle was his to win, they could never win. Goten gave a huge thrust upwards and fell back, bursting into super saiyan flames as he roared in anger. The men stepped back, startled by his colossal jump in strength.

"I thought you said that Gohan was the stronger brother…this one's power is substantial!" The lower voice called out. The raspy voice didn't answer, they only stood there in fear while guard number three continued to hold his post against the wall.

Goten yelled angrily, "This will not continue! I am not going to let you destroy my family!" He began to power up for a massive energy blast. His skin glowed like fire and his body tensed as he lowered his head and began to power up.

His ki lit the entire room so bright that the guards had to shield their hidden eyes. There was nowhere in the circular stone room to run but back up the staircase that Goten was standing in front of or the door, now too far behind them to run to. "You won't be able to stop us!" One guard said as he pointed angrily at Goten. Goten laughed as the feeling of energy flowing through his body transferred to his hands. In moments, he began to recite his Kame-hame-ha and released the anger flushing his body. The room filled with white lights and began to shake uncontrollably. It went up in flames like a match and shook the ground with hastened fury. Goten continued screaming as the room began to fall, rock by rock, on top of the two guards. Before Goten could even blink, he saw the third man slip from the room and through the door in the back of the room. "You won't get away!" Goten called after him, but the man was gone.

As the ground he stood on continued to shake, he pulled together all of his strength and blasted again, aiming directly for the door. The rocks disintegrated under his massive power. He forced his way forward as his blast continued to destroy. He turned to the entire exit and realized that it had collapsed from his energy. He laughed under his breath, thinking to himself that he would just have to blast a way out again. His smiled a devious smirk as he felt the ground below him crack and pop as he walked over his debris. Nothing could stop him now. An angry saiyan is a destructive saiyan, and he felt more powerful than he'd ever been.

He let his body return to normal state as he snuck through the narrow hallway, still dripping with small rocks and hitting his head from the enormity of his previous blows. The hallway was dimly lit with torches, again giving the feeling that they had teleported back in time. He reached into his pocket for his phone light, but considered the chances that it could make him more discoverable and turned it off again. He stopped for a moment to listen carefully to the silence all around him. It seemed like he was the only person there in that cold, desolate hallway. The distant sound of frequent cave dripping echoed throughout on top of the soft sound of fire burning within the small gauntlets that lined the stone walls. He began to walk again, cautiously muting his every step with a roll of the heel.

As he reached the end of the hallway, another wooden door appeared before him. He looked behind him, as though checking for a follower, but confidently assumed that no one would be following him right now after his massive explosion in the round room.

As he reached for the old, rusty door knob, his mind was clear of worries about what might lay just beyond the stone fortress. He was fearless and ready, turning the knob carefully to avoid being heard. When he cracked open the door, quickly noisily, a blinding white light caught him off guard. He shielded his eyes for a moment, but kept pushing forward.

It seemed as though he found himself in a laboratory of some kind. It was sterile and lit with bright, fluorescent lights above. The instruments on the blank, white wall were disturbing in nature to Goten. He saw not just surgical instruments like knives and scissors, but what appeared to be a large rib spreader caught his eye immediately. He rushed to the counter, looking over the instruments carefully for something he could take along with him for extra protection.

The small saws and pointy metal objects worried him. He touched them and felt their cold, hard surfaces come to a pointy tip. His eyes were lit up with wonder in partial because he had always dreamed of becoming a surgeon. He allowed his selfishness in for a moment to wonder over all of the tools that he never got to use to save lives. Perhaps now he could do just that, only in a self-defense kind of way.

He grabbed a small scalpel, capable of a good puncture wound, and stuck it into his back pocket after dusting off some debris and dust from his clothes. He regretted at that moment for wearing semi-skinny jeans…there was only just enough room to hide such a sharp object without being stabbed himself.

He turned to find a door, but it seemed as though there were none. Perhaps the hallway was the only way in from the destroyed circular room and staircase. A small amount of panic flooded over him. "Where are you guys…?" He whispered to himself.

He continued to circle the room, looking for something, anything, to tell him where to go. His sense of direction was never great, but he was starting to feel as though he was in the wrong place.

Disappointed, he decided to see if he missed a turn in the hallway. He quickly spun around to leave quickly and knocked a framed picture of various insect-like creatures and their anatomy off of the wall. He froze momentarily, afraid that someone may have heard, but noticed that a hole the size of a fist was being hidden by the picture. He rushed to it and peered through, hoping to get some answers.

A dark room lit by fire torches and lined in stone was before him. Inside, helpless victims hung from their wrists, strung up like meat. They'd been beaten badly and were all gravely injured. His eyes first saw Vegeta and a man that Goten remembered to be name Tarble tied together and hung on the same chain. An emblem of some kind hung from their necks. It looked to be a type of spear in red with small markings. They also both bore crowns on top of their heads with blood smeared onto the front.

He then saw Goku and Gohan tied next to Pan and Regine, all unconscious and bleeding badly, especially from their wrists. Gohan's eye was swollen shut and Regine's clothes were partially ripped. Goten closed his eyes in pain and mentally prepared to blast his way into the ancient prison room at that moment. However, his eyes traveled further first. What he saw next through his mind into a complete and total rage.


	22. Chapter 22

Her body was beaten and clothes ripped, barely covering her. She hung facing Goten, with a badly beaten Trunks behind her facing the other direction. Her body was lifeless and still, but her eyes drifted about slowly. Goten could tell instantly that they'd given her some type of drug. Her mouth hung open as though she'd just been surprised, causing her face to look long and horrified. Her wrists were still bleeding profusely from the chains and she was just short enough that only the tips of her bare toes touched the ground. He could even see her red nail polish glistening in the dim light of the fires.

He backed away from the hole in horror and began to feel as though he could no longer control himself. He began to raise his power level again, preparing to blow through the stark, white wall. As he assumed his position, a door clanked from inside the room. He quickly shot his power level down and returned to the hole to observe the unknown person move about the stone room.

A stealthy, cloaked man slid around the room checking everyone's pulse. The robe he wore dragged behind him as he quickly moved from saiyan to saiyan, checking their pulse at their wrist and writing a brief note on a notepad with a fancy pen. He continued until he reached Bra, who began to seize as soon as he touched her skin.

"Oca! We're losing this one!" The man called towards the open doorway. "I need to take her now!" The man began undoing her bulky handcuffs and let her fall to the floor, surely breaking at least one bone in the process. Goten watched, petrified, as the man simply watched her and took notes. She shook violently and began to foam at the mouth. "What the hell are you doing? Save her!" Trunks pleaded through his swollen face, tears streaming down his cheeks and veins apparent on his neck. Vegeta watched on through wide open eyes, unable to speak or move. Goten felt carefully and could sense that Vegeta was trying to attack, but his body was in shock and unable to even speak from whatever drug they had given him. Instead, a sad mumble escaped from his tortured lips and tears welled in his eyes.

Bra stopped seizing after a few long and painful moments. She laid there motionless and barely breathing as the man finished taking his notes. "Okay, I'm coming!" The man called again to the dark doorway. This time a legless man entered the room in a wheelchair, slowly approaching and smiling as he went. He looked around at the hanging bodies, all terrified from the event that had just occurred, and clapped his hands together, startling the onlookers. He seemed delighted at the sight of Bra and chirped, "Well, one more dose will probably kill her at this point. Looks like we'll have to move on to the next girl…how about the black-haired one?" He turned and pointed to Pan, who began to cry and shake against her family's backs. Gohan shouted a slurred phrase, probably intending to sound angry, but it wasn't coherent. The man named Oca coughed out a diabolical laugh and shrugged, "Or we could use Gohan Son, here." The moved towards the Sons, leaving Bra on the floor half-dead underneath a suspended Trunks.

Goten had seen enough. He took a few steps back and felt his anger building up inside of him. It was a powerful force, boiling below his skin like he was a human cauldron about to overflow. His eyes flickered between black and green as his skin began to glow with fire. "I will….kill you all!" The dam burst inside of his soul. His muscles pumped outwards, his body tensed and grew in mass, and his hair stood on end in a bright yellow. His super saiyan flames engulfed the area around him and he released a powerful blast directly at the man in the wheelchair, destroying the wall separating them and sending Oca backwards.

Goten screamed and kicked off into the air straight for him. "Master!" The cloaked man stood in front of Oca, ready to die to protect his master. Goten grabbed the man at the throat and threw him from the stone room and into the dark hallway, lodging him into the wall. He scraped his feet against the floor and assumed a fighting position. "I know that you are not helpless. Come at me. I will make you pay for this!" He powered up and filled the room with his energy flames.

Oca looked up at him, twisting his face into a most evil smile. "You think that you can kill me and it'll be done? We got what we needed from these pitiful excuses for saiyans…my experiments were successful! Even if you kill me, my progenies will arise and take this sad little planet for their own. I have created a new race, more powerful than saiyans! I have won!" Goten frowned deeply and launched forward, crushing the man's head into the wall with his fist.

"Goten!" Goku called out in horror, "Goten, calm down!" Goten's eyes fixated on the crushed man in front of him. He couldn't feel remorse and he couldn't feel pain. He had to get them out and fast. He could still feel life energy elsewhere in the stone fortress, and he was sure that he would easily kill anyone in his path. "Goten!" Regine pleaded for Goten to turn to them. He felt a twinge of emotions and quickly ran to them, crushing every chain with his bare hands. "I have senzu beans." Goten reached into his pocket and produced a small velvet bag containing the magical bean that could cure all bodily ailments. "Take these. Get Bra out of here. I'm taking this place down!" Goku took the bag and provided the others with beans. As they started to recover, Vegeta glared at Goten. "You're boy did it, Kakarott. Super saiyan 2 without fusion…it's impressive." Goten's frown didn't falter, but he nodded in appreciation to Vegeta.

Goten's patience was running thin. "Get her out of here, Trunks." Trunks looked confused, "How? How can we get out?" Goten sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He glanced around the room and got their attention. "Get ready!" He braced himself and began to say the words.

"Ka…" Goku grabbed Regine and Pan into his arms.

"Me…." Trunks picked up Bra and rushed towards his father and uncle.

"Ha…." Vegeta motioned to Tarble to be ready for flight.

"Me…." Gohan watched his brother proudly, ready to sprint.

"Ha!" A huge blast burst into flames and engulfed the entire ceiling, swallowing it whole and collapsing the foundation. "Go, go, go!" Goten hollered to his comrades.

As they all jumped into the empty space filled with Goten's raw power, he stayed put, still controlling the ball of energy flames and tearing the entire place apart. He screamed in anger, in fury…he was out of control.

Goku realized in that moment just how much pain Goten was harboring. His reaction to the situation was even greater than Gohan's bursts of anger as a child, which until now was thought to be the most powerful of them all. He could hear his youngest son screaming at the top of his lungs as the building, now far below them, was completely disintegrating into this air. Gohan stopped flying and turned towards the burning rubble. "Goten!" He pleaded, tears falling from his wide and frightened eyes. Trunks stopped and looked down at his lifeless sister. "The bean isn't working for her…she's not recovering!" Vegeta grabbed her from his son and flew off into the sky at full speed, followed by Trunks eagerly.

"I…I can't leave him!" Gohan yelled to Goku. "We have to go, Gohan! He will be okay, he'll be with us soon!" He angrily grabbed onto Gohan's arm, "We've gotta go!" Gohan forcefully shoved Goku back, "I practically raised him! His anger, his rage…it could be the death of him down there! I have to wait for him!" Goku realized that he couldn't win the fight and relaxed, holding onto Regine and Pan tightly. "Uncle Goten!" Pan called out sadly, crying hard and worried sick.

Goten was still inside the building as it came down around him. Rocks began to pile up on top of him, but his power was too great and dissolved any debris instantly. He continued screaming, fists tightly clenched in the air at his sides. He let it all out at once, finally feeling like he was completely in control, until the building that used to stand in his place was a massive hole in the ground without a trace of life or substance.

He lowered his arms, losing his form and returning to normal state. He fell to his knees and panted heavily, gasping for air and feeling every inch of his body scream in exhaustion. He looked up and saw his family above. For the first time, he felt like he had a father who cared for him. His heart broke under all of the emotions and the tears came rushing to the surface like an uncontrollable tsunami. He was ready to go home.


	23. Chapter 23

The sky was beginning to grow dim with clouds as another thunderstorm approached. Gohan looked off into the distance and sighed, "I'm not sure how long he's planning on staying down there. I'm afraid to go to him, but I'm afraid to leave him." He frowned and ran his large hands through his tangled hair. Goku watched his eldest son carefully, admiring the caring man that he grew up to be. Gohan was always so careful and so very smart, so it was no surprise that in Goku's absence, Gohan rose to the challenge. He pictured little Goten hunched over a pile of books with Gohan barking directions at him and demonstrating how easy subjects like math and science are to him. Goten was never one to study in the first place, but being alone with Chichi and Gohan for so long, Goku was sure that he had his fair share of studying as well. That being said, he recalled the fact that it was Chichi's training that triggered Goten's super saiyan form at the tender age of seven. He felt sad inside looking down at his grownup son and feeling completely useless. He knew that Goten was the man he was today because of his upbringing, most of which Goku was absent for, and he craved a way to make it up to him more than anything.

"Dad…I think you should go to him." Gohan said quietly, still staring at his younger brother. Goku looked surprised, but considered the role that he could play at the current time. Perhaps the distraught young man before him would accept and appreciate an effort to provide emotional comfort at this point. He did just save everyone from certain death, something that Goku had done many times over. He released Pan and Regine to hover for themselves and let out a large, sorrowful sigh. "I'm not so good at these things…" He hesitated to continue. Gohan smiled and cocked his head at Goku, "You always were with me. I have no regrets because of you. Make Goten understand how great you really are." Goku felt touched by Gohan's honest words and decided it was time to confront and comfort Goten once and for all.

He slowly lowered down towards the ruins of the stone fortress and landed softly on the dirt with a light thud. He stood still for a moment, assessing Goten's condition and attempting to read and feel his ki. There was no energy emitting from Goten and he wasn't moving. He was crouched into a fetal position, knees buried in the dirt below him. His hands gripped the back of his head and his tears had made a small puddle below his hidden face. Goku could hear his quiet sobs filling the silent air with deep sentiment. He took a few steps towards him, expecting some kind of reaction, but there was none. He continued to sob into the Earth like the pain would never end.

Goku looked up into the grey sky and began to hear a low rumble of thunder. "Goten…" he whispered softly as he knelt down in front of his son. "I want to say thank you for saving my life. I want to thank you even more for saving everyone else…you made me proud today, son." Goten stopped sobbing quietly and froze. Goku got a strong sense that he was about to get another outburst, but instead, Goten raised his head slowly and looked at Goku with his large, black eyes silently. His face was mixed with anger, sadness, and even happiness that his father was there and comforting him. His brow began to relax and he dropped his hands to his sides while he leaned back onto his knees. "I…I'm sorry for being such a douchebag…" Goten blushed and looked down at the ground in front of him awkwardly. Goku laughed, "I'm not sure what that means, but…I think you had every right to be mad at me. I'm sorry that I let you down, Goten." Goten looked up sheepishly and felt bad when he saw Goku's face, concentrated yet far away, trying to think of a way to make his son feel the true depths of his apology. "Goten…I won't leave again. I'm done leaving. Your mother, brother and sister…Pan, Videl…you all mean so much to me. I will be a better father to you. I just hope I'm not too late. Can you forgive me, son?" He leaned back and gently fell onto his backside and sat with his legs crossed, staring straight at Goten. His face was relaxed and calm, yet there was an air about him that Goten hadn't felt before. He wondered if this was about as good as a true apology from his carefree and naïve father could get. Should he take it? He thought hard about what this would mean. No more get togethers talking about how Goku is never around, no more explaining to people why his dad was never there but his parents were still married, and best of all, no more worrying that his father was somewhere dead in a ditch. Goten sniffled and raised his head to meet his father's intent gaze. A drop of rain fell and landed on Goku's nose, startling him. "Well…looks like the sky is rushing my descicion." Goten said smiling slightly, "Dad…I've struggled most of my life because you were never there. If you stay, if you don't run off to save the world again…I will forgive you. But with that forgiveness comes trust...I have to learn to trust you again." Goten held out his hand to Goku and smiled weakly. "After all of the shit that's happened lately…I'm glad that I have my dad back. Can I learn to trust you again?" Goku's smile grew wide and full of glee, "Yes! Of course!" He shook Goten's hand just as the angry grey clouds burst and rain poured down onto them. "Well!" Goten looked up and began to laugh. They both laughed. Goten felt happy inside for the first time since he confessed to Bra. His mind stopped working for a moment and his face returned to an angry frown.

"What's wrong?" Goku sensed a spike in Goten's ki. "Bra…I have to make sure she's okay." Goku nodded and kicked off into the sky. "Let's hurry then! Gohan, Pan and Regine went on ahead. Let's go!" Goten kicked off from the dirt and burst into flight.

He loved the way it felt to fly in the rain. It was almost as though it wasn't raining, because his speed made it so that he didn't get completely soaked. The drops hitting him as he flew felt like a cooling and relaxing mist. He felt disgusting after all of the explosions anyways. He thought of Bra and figured that she was probably healed by now from a Senzu bean, wondering where he was. He wasn't worried about her reciprocating his confession. He felt like she loved him, and that's all that mattered to him at the moment.

He considered what he would say when he arrived to see her beautiful, glowing face run towards him and fling herself into his arms. He could feel her warmth as he thought of her. He could smell her sweet scent and taste her luscious lips on his. He decided it was probably best to stop thinking about it, as he was getting rather excited. He looked over to his father, but Goku seemed to also be in deep thought.

They flew ahead and came upon Capsule Corp. Lowering themselves to the ground, the rain began to drench their clothes and became quite cold. "Ah, run!" Goku hollered to Goten as they reached the ground and ran towards the front door. Goten felt his heart skip a beat as he grabbed the doorknob, ready for her to welcome him home. He felt it turn under his large hand and took a deep breath.

"Goku! Goten, you're safe!" Chichi was the first to greet her husband and son at the door, followed by the others. She threw her arms around Goten, but quickly retreated and ordered him to put on dry clothes. Goten stared at her blankly. "What is it?" She asked, confused by his ambivalent reaction.

"Where is she?" He looked around the room and caught Trunks' eye, who began to walk towards the staircase. "C'mon, Goten…" He lit up and ran towards Trunks, patting him on the shoulder and smiling. "How quickly he forgets who the most important woman in his life will ever be!" Chichi sneered at Goku who laughed awkwardly. Gohan seemed to agree with her as he scowled at his brother from afar.

Trunks turned to Goten at the top of the stairs. "I'm just going to warn you, she was very near death when we found her. She's lucky that she didn't croak, but that just proves that she's my sister. Fighter until the end!" He laughed slightly, scratching the back of his head as if stalling Goten from entering the room. "Trunks, move! I want to see her!" Goten anxiously tried to go around Trunks, but he stepped to the side and blocked him. "I need you to be prepared. She didn't heal properly with the beans…we think…it was whatever they injected her with." Goten's anxious smile fell instantly. "What?..." He pushed Trunks aside in a panic and opened her door forcefully.

"Bra!" He started, but quickly was taken aback by her appearance. Her skin was pale and she was attached to several machines. Her eyes were glazed over and her face had no expression. He frowned, "What the hell are you doing to her? What is wrong?" Trunks shrugged. "We have some of the best doctor's in Japan from the hospital staying in one of the guest suites. Three of them rushed over as soon as my mom called. We have all of the lab equipment that they need, but all we can gather right now is that she received three injections of an unknown substance. We're waiting on bloodwork."

Goten walked into the sterile, yellow room and sat on the edge of her bed. "Oh, Bra…what did they do to you…?" The heavy rain tapped loudly on her window and created an ambient shadow that danced across her sad face. He leaned forward on top of her and hugged her tightly. "Please be okay…please be okay…" He took her hand and kissed the top of her placid skin and laid his head on her stomach. "Please wake up." Her eyes moved about slightly, causing Trunks to snap to attention. "She hasn't moved since we brought her home! Her eyes…Look!" Her line of sight was limited, so Goten rose to her face and rested above her. "Can you hear me?" She seemed to lock onto his eyes and a small smile began to appear across her face. She coughed slightly, rolling her head side to side on her large, puffy pillow and reached for Goten's hand.

"Bra? Can you hear me?" Goten repeated eagerly, his eyes darting between her hand, her blinking eyes, and her heart monitor. "Trunks, have the doctor come check on her!" Goten waved his right hand at Trunks, taking Bra's in his left. He caressed her skin and kissed the top of her hand. "You were so strong…" He whispered softly to her as she strained to understand his words. "Go…Goten?" Her lips were dry and cracked and she coughed a dry heave. Goten reached for the tray pushed away to the side of her medical bed and grabbed the cup of water on top. He held onto the straw and aimed it between her parched mouth and told her to drink slowly. He watched her closely and took the cup away when she seemed to have her fill. "Bra…" He breathed softly. She blinked a few more times before focusing on his face. Her characteristic, Bulma-like smile spread across her face. "Goten…" She reached for his face and he took her hand again, kissing her fingertips delicately. "I was so worried about you. When I saw you…you looked…well, you looked like a total zombie." She giggled painfully and he smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

He stopped above her face and hovered there for a moment, resting his hands on either side of her pillow. She looked up at him with her big, doe eyes and said, "Do I look like a zombie now?" He smiled, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen…right now…and always…" He kissed her lips lovingly, pouring his emotions into her and fighting back a strange urge to cry out of joy. He backed away from her and looked upon her with a proud gaze.

"Goten?" She asked gently, "Do you remember what you said to me before you passed out the other night?" He contemplated what might be the best answer for a moment. "I remember…" He paused, feeling awkward and exposed. "I…told you that I love you. And I do love you. With all of my heart." He kissed her again and sat up to hear her response.

"You passed out before I could tell you…that I love you, too. Now you've gone and saved my life, all without knowing if I would return your sentiment or not. You're definitely the most amazing guy that I've ever had the pleasure of dating." He blushed scarlet, but laughed at her sassy remark. "You are so weird." He laid his head on her and nuzzled her cheek. "You're equally as strange. But that's okay." She responded coolly, returning his affection.

After a few quiet moments, Trunks returned to the doorway completely pale. "Bra…I…um, the doctor got your blood results. I haven't gotten mom or dad yet, but…well, just prepare yourself." She tried to sit up but painfully rested back into place. "What is your problem?" Goten asked Trunks with concern. He swallowed hard and looked into the long hallway. "The doctor's coming now…just know that I'm here for both of you. I'll be downstairs." His blue eyes looked as though he'd seen a ghost, and the sense of comfort that they'd just shared shattered in the mystery. They could hear the doctor's hurried footsteps and prepared for whatever kind of news the results might bring.


	24. Chapter 24

A tall man with broad shoulders entered Bra's homemade hospital room with a clipboard. He turned to Trunks, who began to back away, but Bra quickly spoke up. "Please, my brother can stay…I want him here." Trunks smiled weakly, but continued to tap his foot nervously on the floor. The doctor greeted Bra and Goten with a smile and began to flip through his clipboard, looking at several different papers and comparing results. "Well, …I have some surprising news for you." She stared at the man intently. She opened her mouth to speak, but paused for a moment before asking, "Am I dying or what?" The doctor laughed, "You are not dying. You're actually very healthy. It seems that the injections given to you only caused such a reaction because you were allergic. We've reversed that effect, but I have more news for you." She was getting impatient, but Goten placed his hand on hers and smiled. "It's okay, we'll be okay." The doctor smirked, looking up from his tiny glasses hanging tentatively on his nose. "Your blood test revealed that you're pregnant. Congratulations, !"

Time seemed to stop altogether. Goten felt the world start spinning beneath him, as if he had no control over his body at all. A cold sweat swept over him, causing him to hunch forward and grip his arms awkwardly. He was too afraid to look up, too afraid to see her face and too afraid to see Trunks' face. He couldn't understand how this happened. "Goten." Bra's voice chimed in his head and grounded him to reality. "Goten, it's going to be okay." He blinked and decided to meet her gaze. As he turned his head, the smile spread across Bra's face caught him off guard. He expected a sad or even angry reaction, but instead her face seemed to be glowing with joy. " …are you okay?" She peered up at the doctor and beamed happily, "I couldn't be happier." Trunks practically fell over in the doorway, catching himself on the fancy, brass doorknob. "Bra! Do you even realize what this means for your life?" She raised one eyebrow, "That I'll have a child before you have even had a steady girlfriend?" He blushed and crossed his arms. "Goten…how do you feel?" She asked as he sat, wide eyed, still staring at her blankly.

"I…I feel…I feel like, shit, this is actually happening. How did…" Bra stopped him as she sat up and placed two fingers on his lips. "You know, we didn't use anything that night at the club. I was worried about this for a few days, but you saved my life today. I don't care what happens as long as I'm with you!" The doctor rolled his eyes and smiled, "Mr. Son…it's Son right? Yes, keep in mind that she is on painkillers at the moment." He blinked at the doctor and looked at Bra again, who was clearly irritated at the doctor's comment. "I am totally sane at the moment and I'm being serious." Goten stood up and walked towards her window. He watched the rain pound harder and harder against the glass and leaned forward, placing his hands onto the white windowsill. He looked out over the city, thinking about how much he wanted to move here and get a small apartment. He wanted to build a sweet motorcycle and ride across country with a band of other bikers. He wanted to date Bra, maybe one day make her his wife, but he hadn't even had a chance to really date her with everything that had been happening. He felt like his life was spinning out of control and there was nothing that he could do about it.

He softly rested his forehead against the glass, watching his breath create a fog and then take it away each time he breathed. A loud clap of thunder startled him, shifting his thoughts to the moment that he'd had with his father earlier at the site of the strange stone place. He felt so complete at that moment. He'd saved the day and his father apologized. Goku promised to be a part of his life from this point forward. He considered what that meant for a moment. He'd never known what it was like to have a father that was home and taking care of a family until Gohan had Pan. When Pan was born, Gohan turned into a father to make any man jealous. He attended every event possible, encouraged her studies, encouraged her training…he was the ultimate dad. Goten wondered if he could ever measure up to Gohan and worried that he could turn out like Goku.

"Goten." Trunks placed a hand on Goten's shoulder and turned him towards him, peeling his face off of the smudged window. "I was…surprised…when I heard about this a few minutes ago. But I figure you're feeling a lot of…well, feelings right now…about your dad. Remember what I said…I'm here for you guys and I'll help with whatever I can. I'm kinda…excited." He smiled, patting Goten's shoulder and shaking him gently. He turned and motioned for the doctor to follow, leaving Goten and Bra alone together to figure out what to do.

"There is no option here. I want this baby." She said flatly as the door closed and left them in silence. Goten listened to the spaced out beeping from Bra's heart monitor. Was she really in her right mind? Bra frowned, "Goten…you couldn't possibly want me to…you know…end it?" He put his face in his hands and ran his fingers through his hair, making a frustrated noise and sitting down harshly on the bed. "Of course I don't want that. That's my kid in there…" He looked at her stomach, which she had been rubbing since hearing the news. "I guess, as a guy, you always expect the girl to freak out if this happens. It's so unplanned." She smiled, "Can I be honest?" He paused, watching intently, "My family is rich. We don't have to worry about being out on the street. My family is together and has been for my entire life. The baby will be surrounded by family that loves them, both mine and your's. And your dad is back…I'm sure he'll love this news." They both froze for a moment, realizing they'd been overlooking one small thing. Perhaps the biggest obstacle; Vegeta.

"Oh, shit! Vegeta is going to kill me!" Goten's face contorted into a panicked and sad frown. Bra shrugged. "I bet you could take him after your episode earlier." She laughed, rubbing the back of her head, but soon considered the horrifying possibilities of telling her father that his rival's son impregnated his daughter. "I mean…he's always going on and on about his royal legacy. Tarble seems to be stuck here, so, he's got some family here now. Maybe he'll be happy that it'll continue?" Goten rolled his eyes, "Right. Nothing like an accidental, out of wedlock, half saiyan, royal baby to bring the family together." Bra laughed, "You're a jerk." She smiled and punched his arm playfully. "Can I…?" He raised his hand and started moving it slowly towards her belly. "You can't feel anything yet, silly." She remarked, but allowed him to move closer. "I know that." He scooted up the bed and laid down next to her, placing his head on top of her stomach gently.

"Hey, baby…this is your dad talking." He flinched at the sound of the actual words coming out of his mouth, causing Bra to blink a few times in disbelief. "I…I want you to know that I'll always be there for you. I'm going to be a good dad, no, a super dad. You can always count on me. And your…your mom is going to be the best mom that you could ever ask for." She smiled as tears started to well in her eyes. "Goten…we're going to be parents!" She reached for him to hug her. He scooped her into his big arms and hugged her tightly. "We can do this…we will do this." He whispered into her ear. "I love you." She breathed effortlessly. "I love you, too." He was overwhelmed with happiness as though a blockade in his mind had been broken down. He finally felt like he was fixing his life, moving on from the rut he was in for the past year and for most of his young adult life.

They were startled by heavy footsteps running down the hallway. "Guys…the other doctor just found mom and dad before I did and I think he's telling them. Goten, your mom is standing there, too…just prepare for…" A loud crash sounded from below and the three instantly felt a huge ki raise up and explode. "They…told Vegeta…" Goten whispered, turning pale white. "And Chichi." Trunks added, backing away from the door. "I'm gonna…go get some food…bye!" They could hear him open the hallway window and fly off just as Vegeta started to storm up the stairs.

"Bra Brief! What in the hell have you done?" She heard his voice as he turned to start down the hallway. "Goten! I'm going to kill you!" Chichi's voice followed closely behind Vegeta's raging footsteps.

Bra pulled the covers over her head and shrunk down into the bed. Goten began to tremble and hid his face in her pillow. "What are we gonna do about this?" He pleaded as they entered the room.

Goten peeked up and looked at Vegeta, who was angry as ever with his veins sticking out on his neck and hands balled up into fists. Chichi straightened out her pink, Japanese dress and sat down in a wooden chair next to the door. "How and when the hell did this happen?" Chichi said angrily, but Bulma came running in behind them. "Okay, okay, let's take this down a notch. Chichi, you do not want the entire answer to that question. Vegeta, please, stop being such a hothead!" Vegeta turned around and pointed an angry finger in Bulma's face, but she smacked it away. "Don't you point that finger at me! Bra is a grown woman. She can handle the consequences of her actions!" Bra peeked up out of the covers and frowned, "Thanks but, what do you mean by that?" Bulma smiled deviously, "Well of course, you two need to get married now! That's what I should have done when your father knocked me up with that guy over there!" Trunks hid behind the bed in horror. Bra's mouth fell open as she turned bright red and Goten seemed to be passed out.

Chichi nodded, "That's right! We'll give you a little bit of time to figure things out, but this baby will have a complete family!" She crossed her arms and stood up, walking over to lock arms with Bulma and join in her decision. Goku stood in the hallway peering in, but seemed overjoyed at the news and couldn't quite understand what everyone was so mad about.

Goten regained his composure and cleared his throat. "I will be getting my own place here in the city. Bra will come with me. I'll get a job. I'm going to prove that I can do this!" Chichi laughed, "You don't even know what a steady job means! Gohan is the only man in this family with any kind of work ethic when it comes to making money!" Goku fell forward in surprise. "Besides, you didn't think Bulma was going to pay for any of this did you?" Chichi frowned disappointedly. "Mom…you can't just expect Goten to pay for everything! I can't get a job if I'm pregnant!" Bulma and Chichi laughed hysterically while Vegeta continued to scowl at Goten. "Tons of women work until the baby falls out, dear! Welcome to real life! I've spoiled you and your brother a little too much, I think." Trunks coughed awkwardly behind the bed, still hiding from his father.

Goten rolled off the bed and stood up proudly. "I accept this challenge! I'll prove to you that I can be just as awesome as Gohan at being a dad!" He pointed at his mother and gave her a thumbs up. She rolled her eyes and melted to his charm. "You big goof…I suppose there could have been worse things…especially if you would have knocked up that ditzy girl with the brown hair." Goten laughed and motioned for her to stop talking while Bra angrily growled at Chichi for even bringing up Valese.

"Well, how about we give Bra some time to rest?" Gohan said as he casually walked in the room. "This is a lot of stuff at once guys…after what Goten just did for all of us, I think it's safe to let him have a break from all of the judgments and orders." Bulma, Chichi and Vegeta angrily shook their hands and began to yell at Gohan, but he held up a hand and shushed them. "I've gotta go to the University and make sure they haven't fired me for being gone for a day without calling, but I need to talk to Goten first. Everyone out!"

As they filed out of the room, including a very uncomfortable Trunks, Gohan asked Goten to follow him into the hall. Bra sighed heavily and fell into her pillow, clearly exhausted from all of the excitement.

Goten shut the wooden door behind him and followed Gohan down the hall a ways. Once Gohan felt that they were far enough away from Bra's earshot, Gohan placed his hands on Goten's shoulders and smiled. "This is it, bro. I have one thing to say besides the usual 'be a good dad' spiel." Goten watched anxiously as his brother took a deep breath. "I saw you making out with Marron the other day. I need to know that it was a onetime thing. If you ruin it with this girl over that girl…I swear…" Goten blushed violently, "That was you? Oh, God…I forgot about that. No, she kissed me and it was a onetime thing! I don't have feelings for her at all! Wait…you don't think I was stupid for dumping Marron?" Gohan smiled and shook his head, "No. You're wild and crazy, much more than I was at your age. He walked to the large window at the center of the hallway. The rain was coming down even harder than before, seeming to start a small flood outside in the downhill yard. "I knew that you weren't really happy with her. You liked the idea of her, a girl with a stable family and a stable career path." Goten sat back against the wall and traced the tile lines on the floor with his foot. "You wanted a family to accept you because as much as I tried, I was never a father to you, only your older brother. When Videl and I build our house, you just started acting out in ways that I didn't expect from you. I knew you were unhappy." Goten blushed again, feeling awkward yet appreciative that his brother cared so much about him. "I want you to know that I'm here for you. I want you to do this right, and no matter how much advice our father can give you, he wasn't there for you and you're always going to be mad at him. I'm glad you reconciled, but please come to me when you need help. I don't want you to forget how much I tried to teach you." He looked at the floor and back away slightly. Goten couldn't believe how open Gohan was being with him. Gohan was usually very private compared to Goten. He didn't like to express his feelings, which is what made him such an obedient teenager. Even as a grown man, Goten had yet to see or hear a fight with Videl or Pan. Gohan was the most respectable man he'd ever known.

"Yeah, bro…I get what you're saying. I appreciate it…I won't forget it." Gohan smiled and patted Goten's back before beginning to walk away. "Wait!" Goten called after him. "What?" Gohan asked politely. "Can you forget what you saw with Marron? Don't tell anyone…" Gohan gave him a thumbs up and turned again. "We're going to pack up and head home. You should stay here for a few days with Bra and find an apartment. Goten smiled proudly. He felt like this was his chance to finally grow up, even if it was a little fast. He was rather impulsive anyways.


	25. Chapter 25

The next morning, Goten woke early from the light peeking through the burgundy curtains in his room. He peered up from his soft pillow to the digital clock propped up on the bedside table. "Ugh…" He verbalized as he curled up in the expensive, heavy comforter for warmth. He honestly never woke up at seven in the morning unless he had something specific to do. He figured it was due to the previous day's ridiculously complicated events. Not only did he save his entire race from extinction at the hands of a mad saiyan-scientist hybrid, but he also found out that he'll be a father in a few brief months.

He rolled over and felt the smooth silk sheet below caress his skin, sending chilly shivers up his back. He really didn't like the silk sheets simply because they were too cold in the morning. Ever since he was a child, he never even used sheets because it was an extra thing to worry about when making his bed in the morning. Chichi always made sure that his bed looked perfect before he could leave for school, so he just started sleeping on top of the sheet to save on time. It was a strange habit, but he felt confident that it was an intelligent choice.

His mind began to swirl with thoughts again as he laid there trying to find a reason to stay in bed instead of get up and face the new day. It was strange to think that he'd basically been living in the Brief household for the better part of two months. He'd convinced Trunks before he went to bed the previous night to hire him at Capsule Corp as an entry level assistant of sorts. He felt oddly about the fact that he'd be an assistant to his best friend at a mega corporation, but the pay was far beyond what he expected from an editorial job that he could get with his creative writing degree. In the midst of all the talk of business, his mind continued to race back to thoughts of coming home to Bra. He pictured her with a ton of shopping bags scattered around with open boxes of shoes and various clothes laying out on the furniture that she'd been trying on. He knew that she felt every woman should work, like her mom did, which he also knew for sure would bother Chichi when she is told Bra refuses to stay home. He thought it was inspiring and took no issue with it, especially since he'd grown up with Videl always working to help support their household.

He continued to let his mind explore the future and pictured Bra as a mother. He imagined her to be argumentative and firm, yet cool and fun at the same time. His heart raced, warming his entire body with anticipation. He couldn't picture their child in his mind, as he'd never even considered having a child yet, but figured that the baby would probably look like him since the Son genes appeared to be so strong. The only acceptation to that idea was his sister, who received Chichi's mother's brown hair and blue eyes. Pan was a clear clone of her father, so maybe Goten's genes would be as strong as Gohan's. Goten began to get excited at the thought of a mini-him. Another Goku clone, he thought.

He decided that he should get out of bed and head out into the kitchen for breakfast. As he began to stretch his long legs and slide out of his cozy bed, he heard a small knock at the front door. He stopped to listen as he heard heavy footsteps run out from the kitchen and open the door quietly. The two sets of feet crept silently past Goten's room and into Trunks' room next door. He couldn't sense any ki, so whoever it was knew how to hide their energy from others.

He rushed to the wall that he shared with the next room and placed his ear against the cold, smooth wall. He instantly recognized a female voice as Marron's and dreaded what he was about to hear between the two. She sounded upset, as if they'd already had an argument, but something told Goten that this was about Bra. He looked down and scooted his knee onto the small, decorative chair against the wall and leaned forward onto its tall, quilt-looking back for support. "I don't understand what's wrong with him. Does he not understand the kind of burden this will be? I can't believe you support this!" She whispered angrily, pacing about the room. Her voice continuously grew louder and softer frequently each time she moved away and towards the wall. He heard Trunks sigh before answering coolly, "Marron…it's not your problem. Why did you even come over if you were just going to yell at me?" There was a brief silence before he continued, "Look…I don't know what you think you are to me. You don't want to hook up, you don't want to be my girlfriend…what do you want? Did you just want to go out with me a few times and get pampered by a rich guy?" Goten braced himself for a tyrannical Marron response, "Well, then…" she started, "I suppose you want me to make a decision?" Goten exhaled with a small sense of relief. Trunks scoffed with frustration, "I know you still love him, Marron." Goten's expression froze as he continued to listen intently, feeling a cold chill flood his veins with dread. "I don't!" She answered, but the tension could be felt through her voice. Trunks shifted around the room and there was a long pause. "Stop!" She snapped angrily, "Why? Why can't I kiss you if you don't have feelings for Goten?" Goten began to feel badly for Trunks as she continued, "Because….because I don't have feelings for you that way." Goten backed away from the wall and felt like he'd invaded too much of their privacy. He sat on the bed feeling a strange, creeper vibe. Had he gone too far listening in like that? Trunks wasn't one to talk about his feelings like Goten did, so getting this out of him before letting on that he heard it himself was going to be a challenge. He lost himself in his mind briefly before his door cracked open and startled him.

"Ten?" Her voice lit up his soul from its core the second her heard it, "Bra? What are you doing out of bed?" He turned his head and gazed upon the most put together patient he'd ever seen. There she stood, hair pulled back into a curled ponytail and makeup done perfectly for an outing. Her black, long-sleeved dress was decorated in navy blue chevron pattern along her chest and down to her knees. His eyes continued downwards onto her feet, strapped into black heels with high wedge heels. She had a pink blanket around her shoulders and wobbled along with her fluids attached to a wheel-bound metal pole. He shot up quickly and scooped her into his arms, sitting her on the bed and kissing her forehead. "Where do you think you're going?" She smiled softly, "I wanted to come apartment hunting with you." He looked down at her arm, clearly still dependent on her IV attachments. "The doctors say that my test results this morning are substantially better. Must be saiyan strength healing or something. I just want to get out of the house…" Goten sighed and smiled before looking up into her eager, blue eyes. "You should really take the day to rest." She frowned, "I can do whatever I want!" Her Vegeta-like attitude pierced her cute, playful personality like an angry wasp and Goten quickly surrendered, "Okay, okay! Let's just get this thing detached…" He felt queasy looking at the needle taped to her arm and backed away into the hallway. "C'mere first!" She held out her arms and smiled, another complete personality shift. Goten rolled his eyes and re-entered the room, moving towards her and placing his arms around her tightly.

She kicked up his feet and tripped him onto the bed suddenly. "Bra! The door's open…what are you doing?" She smiled, "You know…we haven't even gotten a chance to…you know…since the first time in that club…" He nervously shifted his weight to the bed, not wanting to place extra pressure on her stomach. "I…well..we just…" She placed a fingertip on his lips and smiled before kissing him softly. When the frenzy started, he lost himself in her kiss. The room vanished and his senses could only focus on her. Her mere touch was enough to send him flying into the clouds of sensation overload.

"Goten!" Their bliss was shattered when an angry voice called out to him in the hallway. Trunks stood, mouth hanging open, with a crying Marron at his side. "What…how could you be so bold?" Marron said horrified before running for the front door. Trunks held out a hand after her briefly, but shifted his attention back to his friend and sister. "What are you thinking? Your ki was going crazy…dad will sense it if you do that for too long! You're lucky he's still asleep!" Bra giggled, "Oops…forgot about that little detail." Goten blushed violently, "You mean…oh, shit. I didn't even think about that!" He backed off of her and sat awkwardly on the bed. "Just…stop making out all over the place. Bra…what the hell?" He entered the room and took her arm in his hands. "Do you not know how to take this out?" He asked Goten. Goten shrugged, "I was only pre-med for a year, man…I don't remember shit." Trunks rolled his eyes and pulled out the small needle, almost knocking Goten out with sickness. Bra frowned, "That doesn't even hurt!" Trunks laughed and helped her up to her feet, again rolling his eyes at her shoes. "Just because Goten is super tall doesn't mean you have to run around in hooker shoes." She stuck out her tongue and waved Trunks away.

When he left, purposely leaving the door open again, she turned herself towards Goten and held out a hand enthusiastically. "Let's go out for breakfast!" He took her hand cautiously, still afraid that Vegeta would come running down the staircase to kill him. "Oh, don't listen to Trunks! My dad sleeps like a dead tree…he didn't sense it." Goten laughed at her, "Dead tree?" She shrugged and started to walk away. His eyes traveled again, from her perfect hair bouncing from side to side and down her sleek, exquisite body. She was like a super model with a muscles. Everything about her looks screamed perfection. Calming himself with haste, he rose and followed her out.

In one of her cars, a dark blue sports car that resembled a bat mobile, she started to scrunch up her face in thought. "What's on your mind?" He laughed as he watched her face contort inquisitively, "You look…concerned." She opened her mouth, but closed it again, and then sighed. "I just…why was Marron there this morning? I thought they were like…not a thing anymore?" Goten's interest was piqued, "I thought that they were a couple?" She gave him a sly glance, "Oh, Goten…you're such a guy. He brought her to Mikio's party that night because she wanted to meet some of his friends. They were just like, hanging out. She wouldn't kiss him." Goten felt weird, "So…doesn't it weird you out to talk to her about your brother?" She frowned again, "No. Why would it? He's a grown ass man. I don't care who he bangs." Goten felt dumbfounded at that comment. He certainly cared who Regine was interested in as his sister. He shuddered at the thought of her dating anyone and returned his thoughts to Trunks. "So…why?" Bra laughed, "Because she's still into you." A strange gasping sound escaped Goten's lips before he could speak again. "You're…honest." She shrugged, "Would you have me any other way? Anywho, you're mine, and she knows it. So she's like going crazy. Also, we should go visit Mikio and Kazuko. They're still at the hospital." Goten realized that he'd completely forgotten about his friends. "Uh…Mikio is a saiyan." Bra gasped, "What?" She looked at her arm for a moment before continuing, "Why wasn't he taken then? Whose line is he from? Wait…another saiyan?" Goten slapped his forehead, "You think too fast!" She frowned and looked ahead, "Well…I have some questions for him now."

They landed outside of the hospital and as Bra returned her car to its capsule, Goten pondered the question. Where was Mikio from? He knew that he was not born in Japan, but he never spoke of family. He had no idea where his friend may have come from. Perhaps other saiyans inhabited Earth in other countries…maybe their race wasn't as exclusive to Japan as they thought.


	26. Chapter 26

As they made their way to Mikio's hospital room, Goten watched Bra's tortured expression. She was clearly upset that he didn't face the same torture as the rest of them, but it seemed even more personal. In general, Bra was terribly hard to read. Goten thought that this was possibly because of her royal traits that Vegeta instilled within her, such as to never appear weak. She clutched her shiny, red purse tightly and began to bite her soft, pink lip nervously. Goten smirked and thought that she looked quite adorable so worked up. She entered Mikio's bland hospital room first, taking a seat next to the bed in a flimsy, black chair that the nurse had left for them. Mikio turned his head to her and smiled. "You're…alive…" He looked up at Goten, who frowned uncomfortably at the bold statement. "Goten, you don't have to worry. If you all survived…they died in vein. This is a good thing." Bra furrowed her brow, "Mikio…Goten told me that you said you're a saiyan. How are you possibly a saiyan? Are you half human…like us? My father, the prince of all saiyans, would know who you are if you were a true saiyan."

Mikio's expression fell into a dark place. He stared up into the ceiling and seemed lost in thought for a few moments. Goten listened intently to the beeping of his moniter and various machines. He leaned against the wall at the entrance, watching the nurses and doctors bustle about in the hallway. It was a bit heartwrenching to think that he could have been one of them. He could have been a doctor giving some horrible diagnoses or even a surgeon saving someone's life. He tore himself away from the "what if" world and rejoined the present. As he cleared his throat, Bra startled and Mikio snapped back to reality. "They only gave us ten minutes with you, Mikio. You don't have a whole lot of time to stare into space." Goten murmured impatiently. Mikio's eyes seemed empty as he stared back at him, but his mouth opened slowly. He began cautiously, "Yes. I am half human and half saiyan. I was born in America, but my mother died in childbirth and my father gave me up for adoption in anguish." Bra looked horrified at his words and hugged her midsection longingly. Goten thought it strange, as in his mind there was no way that a saiyan woman could die from child birth, but placed a comforting hand on her shoulder none the less. He motioned for Mikio to continue and placed his chin on top of Bra's head. "I learned of my saiyan heritage when I found my real father again as an adult. I always had weird strength and I had a tendancy to get very angry without control, so I wanted to know if I was going to have some kind of problem when I got older. Ya know, like mental illness wise. I found him pretty easily after I stole some records from the hospital that I was born at and saw that he was a professor in Tokyo. I instantly packed up and never went back the the States." He placed a hand on his forehead and began rubbing back and forth, "My head is pounding…". Bra began to object, but an anxious nurse knocked on the door and poked her head in the room. "Excuse me, I need to take our patient here down for some testing. Please say your good-byes. Sorry for the short time." Goten moved closer to Mikio and asked quietly, "Was your father among the men who captured my family?" Mikio smiled, "I don't know. My father wanted nothing to do with me and I haven't seen him in two years." Bra frowned, "That's not good enough. You don't know what they did to me…I have to know what you know about those men!" Goten leaned down to Mikio and placed a hand on his arm. He squeezed slightly, enough to irritate the giant would covered by a wrapping. He looked into Mikio's eyes with frustration and whispered, "Bra was injected with some kind of poison three times when they captured her. If there's anything that you know, you need to tell me. Maybe they captured your father, too…All I need to know is if we should be worried about Bra and…the baby."

Mikio face contorted into a devilish smile, but quickly returned to normal. He asked excitedly, "They injected her, huh? Pity." Goten slammed his fist on the table next to the hospital bed, breaking it in half and grabbed Mikio's hospital gown by the front. He thrusted him out of bed, knocking down some of the moniter machines. Bra stood up and attempted to stop Goten's anger, but he shot her a warning glance and she backed away quickly. "Whatever you know…and I know you know something…now is the time to tell us! Those men were torturing her! My family and her's were being tortured!" Mikio closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in and releasing it slowly, coughing violently as he exhaled. "Goten…we've been friends for several years. I'm sorry that I was never completely honest with you. I know you're a good guy from a great family, so I won't lie to you when I say that I'm not sure how her body will handle this pregnancy. The injections were meant for the baby, not her. My father created them." Bra gasped and clutched her stomach protectively, instantly bursting into tears of fear and backing away to the door. Goten's eyes flashed blue and back to black as his ki began to raise into dangerous numbers, "Mikio…is my baby going to live?" Goten snarled, shaking him angrily. Mikio smirked, "The baby will be a masterpiece of the new saiyan race. It's brilliant." Bra stood up and grabbed Mikio away from Goten, forcing Goten backwards and onto the floor. Her hair seemed to stand on end and her ki flew sky high, causing the floor to shake. A nurse ran to the door and began to scream. She grabbed a walky talky and radioed for security, but an angry glare from Bra caused her to retreat behind the service desk in fear.

When Bra's eyes returned to Mikio, their normal blue had turned to electric green and her hair was flickering yellow, glowing like fire. "What did you do to my baby?" She asked in a low, surly voice. Mikio looked afraid now and tried to struggle. She grabbed his neck and held tightly. "I will…kill you." He squirmed for freedom as her anger broke loose. Goten shielding his eyes as her first transformation pulsated through her body and exploded in a show of tremendous power. "I will kill you!" She shook Mikio as he choked for life, but a flash of light entered the room. Goten heard the window break and when the light had cleared, Bra was gone. Mikio laid half dead on the bed, gasping for air. The room was in shambles, most of the equipment broken into various pieces and sparking. The hospital personal shook with fear, all hiding behind objects. "Are you okay?" Goten asked in a harsh tone, "Yes. I'm…alive…" Mikio responded. "Good. I will personally finish what she started if there is anything wrong with my baby." Mikio smiled and gave Goten an unwarranted thumbs up, sending Goten's nerves up in flames. He rose and shot out the window to find his mate, who was undoubtedly very, very out of control at the moment.

He flew through the air, feeling for her ki. He could sense her a few miles away due east. He wondered what she was doing heading towards Mount Paozu, but followed her eagerly. The other ki that had grabbed her was without a doubt Trunks. He must have been around and felt what was going on. Goten landed a few feet from them and gazed upon the most beautiful scene he'd ever laid eyes on.

Bra was standing away from Trunks, glowing with a fiery inferno burning around her body. Her hair stood straight up and back in a vibrant golden color. Her eyes were no longer soft and warm but hard and fierce, filled with anger. Her muscles were exceptionally impressive and her stance proved that a wrong move would render the attacker dead in an instance. Trunks was also super saiyan, but as Goten compared the two, Bra was clearly the stronger opponent. She continued to scream at Trunks, but held her ground and clenched her fists angrily. Tears streamed down her face, running her perfect makeup slightly and making her look even more demon-like. "Bra! Calm down! It's okay!" Trunks called to his sister. Her electric green eyes rose to meet his behind a face that resembled the fury of her father's darkest times as an evil and possessed saiyan. "I will kill him!" She screamed and fell to her knees as though she was in pain.

Goten, who was already super saiyan as well from the shock of the whole situation, ran to her and fell to the ground in front of her. "Bra…baby…it's okay! Please, please tell me what I can do!" Goten pleaded with her, but only received screams of agony in return. She clutched her stomach and curled into a ball, sending her energy waves flashing through the field and churning up winds worthy of a cyclone. "Goten, we gotta calm her down…she's too powerful for her own body!" Trunks said frantically as he looked in all directions for any sign of other people.

"Bra…listen to my voice…you've gotta calm down. This isn't healthy for the baby!" Bra's screaming slowed. She looked up at two of most important men in her life and forced her eyes shut. "I…I'm sorry!" She yelled exasperatedly. Her power stopped surging and her super saiyan form dropped, causing her to return to normal. Her hair fell in blue showers around her pained and tortured expression and her eyes returned to their clear blue state. She continued to clasp her stomach in pain. "We have to get her back to mom…the doctor's will be able to help!" Trunks said, picking her up instinctively. Goten nodded, "I can't believe what just happened. That was no normal transformation." Trunks nodded and held his sister closely, "We'll get this sorted out, sis…it's okay." She mumbled weakly and hid her tearful eyes into his shirt. They kicked off into the air and hastily headed back to Capsule Corp.


	27. Chapter 27

After returning to Capsule Corp, Trunks sat in the living room curled up on the biggest of several leather sofas. The television was on, but he wasn't paying any attention to the latest newscast. As the news anchor's voice droned on, he felt sick thinking about what Bra must be going through to have had such a horrific transformation to her super saiyan form. He felt even worse that his own transformation was so simple and effortless at only eight years old. A small buzz startled him from inside his pocket. He flicked his finger across his phone, looking at an email he'd received for work, but found himself utterly uninterested in his duties as CEO at the moment. He rose his head up and looked around the dark room dimly lit by the glowing television mounted above the brick fireplace. The sunset was apparent as the great shadow of night began to cast over the huge, extravagant rooms surrounding him. He stared blankly at the yellow walls of his parents' home and missed his own apartment. He enjoyed the dark, earthy tones and rich carpeting in his own home rather than the cheery and sterile feel of the home he grew up in. On his way home today, he never expected to be the intervention that stopped his sister from killing his friend when he'd only meant to drop off some paperwork at the hospital. Now, it seemed he'd be staying here with his family for a while again.

Sitting in the growing darkness, he could hear his sister's sad cry ring through the many hallways of their mansion. He assumed the doctor's must be giving her a shot or taking blood again. Bra absolutely hated needles. As another cry rang out, Trunks shivered as though he'd heard nails against a chalkboard and shifted uncomfortably on the slick leather.

After some time of silence, his father entered the room looking stern as usual. He shut his eyes and placed his hand over his face, dragging it down and sighing loudly. "You'd think that a warrior such as us wouldn't scream every time that a small, sharp object barely pierced their skin." Vegeta scoffed as he plopped down in a chair opposite his son. Trunks rolled his eyes, "Dad…she's going through a lot more than just the average shot. Besides, Goku is afraid of needles, too!" Vegeta's fists tightened. "Bra is twice the warrior that Kakarot was as her age. I heard of her transformation from that boy..." Trunks laughed, "Goten? The 'boy' that basically grew up beside me?" Vegeta snarled, "Yes, well I never thought that my daughter, the princess of all saiyans, would show such interest in such a weakling like him." Trunks rolled his eyes. He knew that Goten was not weak. After all, Goten was only seven when he transformed, a year younger than Trunks had been.

Trunks' eyes shot down the hallway as he heard a door open and close quickly. He could sense that it was Goten. He got up from the large couch and stretched, realizing just how long he'd been sitting there on top of his legs. As his sleeping limbs began to wake, he noticed that the room was completely dark. He stumbled about and flipped on the light switch. "Ah, why would you do that without telling me, boy?" Vegeta grumbled as he laid sideways in the chair, half asleep. Trunks threw his arms up in surrender, but left the light on and headed towards a very distraught Goten.

"Hey…how is everything?" Trunks asked carefully, approaching Goten with plenty of warning. "They keep sticking her with all kinds of needles. I can't take it! I feel like they're killing her all over again!" Trunks realized that Goten must be thinking of the situation that he'd only just recovered the whole family from. He couldn't remember a good chunk of their capture, and was too swollen to see much of anything until Goten brought the senzu beans. But his sister's screams were still fresh in his memory, tearing at his insides each time. "You know that she's safe here. These doctors are too stupid to try anything funny here…" Trunks said softly, causing Goten's tearful eyes to meet his. Looking up at him, Trunks never realized just how tall Goten was. He seemed so lanky lately, like he'd been training without eating. It was strange, considering the Son family was certainly known for their healthy eating habits. He leaned against the wall and continued, "So…how are you with the other thing?" Goten looked at Trunks annoyed at his ambiguity, "Other thing? What other thing?" Trunks sighed patiently, "You know…the baby. Have you been able to give it much thought?" Goten looked offended. Trunks instantly countered, "No, no I mean have you thought of…a name, maybe?" Goten's expression softened, but he turned around to hide his face. He walked to the end of the hall and pressed his forehead against the large window. "I do have a name in mind." Trunks began to inquire, but Goten held up a hand. "I haven't even asked Bra yet. I'm not telling you." He scoffed and crossed his arms, looking ever so much like Vegeta. Goten turned to look at Trunks and laughed, "You look like your dad." Trunks frowned. Goten shrugged and said, "Oh hey, speaking of dads, my dad actually called me earlier. I didn't tell him what happened, Videl would probably be up here in five seconds. She's all pregnant and trying to bond with Bra over babies anyways." Trunks looked confused, "Women, man…" Goten shrugged again, "I'm cool with it. Pan is coming over, by the way. She needs some help with something and said it was about Capsule Corp so you could explain better than me." Trunks scrunched his face, "Uh…isn't Gohan ten times smarter than like…all of us?" Goten rolled his eyes, "Would you want to ask your dad a question about training that you thought he'd consider beneath him? Gohan is really tough on Pan with school. She's not really the intellectual type and it bugs him." Trunks nodded his head. He supposed that made sense, though he always considered his mother's brain to be a tool worth utilizing to help him succeed in life. She'd certainly passed her genius onto him.

Trunks listened to Goten continue on about his family for some time and felt a cool smile spread gradually across his face. Goten was going to be a great father and a terrific husband, he thought. He felt a weight lift off of his shoulders as Goten's words continued to describe his love for his family. Even though Goten was his best friend, the thought of his sister starting a family with him was a bit terrifying. His words made it a little bit easier to swallow for Trunks. "So…aren't you smart, too? Why don't you help her?" Trunks asked, walking towards the window and peering out onto the yard. Goten laughed and placed a hand on top of his head awkwardly, "Well…yeah. My grades were always as good as Gohan's. But I'm not really interested in all that anymore." Trunks remembered all the times that Gohan struggled in high school when they were just boys. Goten would run circles around him, in training and in school, yet Gohan never minded one bit. Goten always said that Gohan felt sorry for him growing up without Goku, but Trunks wondered just how deep that went. To him, it was impossible that jealousy never played a factor in his stubbornness with Pan. He let her train, especially with her grandpa Hercule, Videl's dad, but he was so like Chichi. It was strange how much like Goku Goten actually was, but Trunks would never tell him that. He decided to agree to help Pan, even though he didn't know her very well. He did know that she was annoying and persistent if she didn't get what she wanted.

Goten turned to reenter the room with Bra and held the door open to Trunks. He stood there staring at her, strapped to the bed tightly and clearly doped up from several different drugs. Her eyes rolled about the room and her face looked hollow and sad. "Trunks…" she said weakly, "Hey sis…how are you feeling?" She smiled stiffly, "I'm good. I feel better. I'm sorry about all of this." He hushed her and after hugging her, left her to Goten's care. He felt weird being in the room, like it was their own version of a small family household and he was intruding.

In a few short minutes, the doorbell sounded throughout the house. Trunks walked casually up to the door, still feeling weird and awkward, but willing to help. Vegeta laid wound like a pretzel snoring in the chair, luckily not waking when she knocked on the door again. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming Pan…Oh." Trunks opened the door and was surprised by the blonde barbie-doll standing under the porch light. "Marron…" He stared at her beautiful face and felt his face heat up like a fire. "I wasn't expecting you…Pan is coming to get some homework help." She raised a hand, signaling for him to stop talking. Her face was serious and gloomy, not uncommon for her these days, but it seemed like she had a message to deliver. She shifted her hips in her flowing, pink sundress with grey tights and crossed her arms tightly across her chest. Trunks asked, "Would you like to come inside? It's getting chilly…" Marron shook her head, "I just wanted to tell you…I'm moving to America with my mom. Yamcha has family there…we gotta get out of here." Trunks stood silently for a moment, mouth hanging open and eyes wide with bewilderment. "I thought you were looking for a place in the city?" Trunks asked desperately, "I was. But when my mom offered me the chance to come with her and Yamcha…I just…" Trunks stopped her and shook his hands. "Yamcha? Is your mom with him now?" Marron looked up and clearly felt uncomfortable. Her boots kicked around at the ground below her and she faced away from him, looking down the street. "Yeah…I think that they are. Whatever, she deserves to be happy…my dad dying nearly killed her." Trunks blinked a few times in disbelief while she continued, "Anyways, this is good-bye for now. Give my regards to Goten and Bra…I…I wish them the best." Trunks stuttered as she instantly turned to leave, "Wait!" He called as he ran out onto the porch and grabbed her wrist, twirling her around into his arms. "I didn't think…you'd leave…I mean, what…" Marron kissed his cheek tenderly. "I'm sorry, Trunks. We grew up together…you're a great guy…but I need to get over Goten and move on with my life. You're just too close to this. I have to go. We will visit eventually." She pushed away from him and turned, kicking off into the sky and heading towards Kame house. Trunks watched her and felt the pit of his stomach ache. "You hate flying…" he whispered to himself sadly.

When he turned to re-enter his house, Pan stood watching him in the doorway. He jumped and nearly fell backwards at the sight of her. She looked down in embarrassment after overhearing his entire conversation with Marron. After a few moments of awkward silence, she murmured, "I'm sorry…should I leave?" Trunks sighed and ran his hands through his silky, purple hair, "Nah…it's okay. Let's see this project that you need my expert opinion on." Pan smiled, a beet-red blush creeping across her pale, white cheeks. She held out her papers and looked up at the sky. "It's cold…can I come in?" Trunks laughed, "Yeah, sure. Just be quiet. Dad's sleeping on the chair in the living room." Pan smiled nervously and opened the front door. She looked around, but the lights had been turned off and she was hesitant to move forward. "Oh…my dad must have turned the lights off again." Trunks hissed annoyed, but when he flipped the switch, the lights didn't come back on.

Pan moved closer to Trunks and latched onto his shirt, "It's really dark in here…" Trunks shrugged in the darkness, "It must be mom…sometimes the power goes out when she's working on a machine." Vegeta grumbled, "You're talking and I'm trying to sleep, boy!" Trunks huffed angrily, "C'mon, Pan…her lab in the basement has power. We'll just work down there." Pan squeaked in agreement, but continued to hold onto his shirt as they walked blindly to the basement door under the staircase. Trunks turned the doorknob and opened the door, "Well…this light is out, too. Just be careful. I see her lights on down there." The soft, purple glow of the Capsule Corp laboratory was just barely visible at the foot of the spiral staircase that twisted into the mysterious basement that Pan had never heard of.

As they descended down into the depths of the mansion, the darkness seemed to envelop them. The steps were narrow and easy to miss, so Trunks continued slowly as Pan held onto his shirt. "You know, this shirt was expensive. You're probably stretching it out…" Trunks said, teasing Pan in his usual, arrogant way. Pan let go instantly, "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize that I was!" as she pleaded frantically, she tripped and began to fall forward down the stairs. Trunks grabbed her in an instant and threw her up over his shoulder. "You klutz! I'll carry you like this so you can't hurt yourself or my shirt, ok?" Pan felt humiliated and surrendered, but a huge smile lit up on Trunks' face for the first time in a long time. He enjoyed teasing her like he used to with Bra before she got too sassy for her own good.

Finally they reached the bottom of the stairs and a closed door with purple light glowing all around it. Trunks approached it and put Pan down gently. "I have to knock. I don't want her to blow something up if we startle her." Pan nodded nervously, looking at the large, wooden door. Trunks reached forward and knocked quietly, "Mother?" Trunks asked in a cool voice. He straightened his brand name, button-down shirt and placed his hands into his slick, black pants. His muscular face glowed in the light, with his hair looking even more lavender than ever in the purple light. Pan blushed violently again and looked down at the floor before he could notice.

"Trunks?" A muffled voice called from behind the door. "Come in!" Bulma sounded chipper and excited for some company. Trunks opened the door and the purple glow overwhelmed them. "Sorry, I'm almost done with this!" Bulma said calmly as she continued to use a large gun-shaped tool on a metal door in a corner of the large room. She wore a large, metal mask with a small, clear slit for her eyes and thick, tan gloves to protect her hands. Her white lab coat was closed and her boots looked charred from previous experiments. As the purple sparks continued to fly, Trunks walked to a nearby lab station and flicked on a large overhead light. Pan walked over to him slowly, but couldn't help staring at all of the fancy gadgets and half-done experiments. Robots were all around, staring down at the various lab stations with no life in their eyes. She looked at one particular robot with missing arms that had a very strange face. Bulma looked up and pulled back her mask to sit on top of her head. "He's part of my elemental testing project, but I ran out of his material before I could make his arms. I've gotta get on that one…" Pan turned around startled and smiled at Bulma politely. Bulma took off her gloves and set them on the table beside her. "What brings you two down here to my bat cave?" Trunks rolled his eyes at his eccentric mother, "I'm helping Pan with some report on Capsule Corp. You knocked out the power upstairs again." Bulma sighed, "Oh, well…the generators will kick on soon, then. I am so close to having this chamber done for your father!" Trunks ignored her and began looking over the papers, but Pan stared at the metal door curiously, "What is it?" Bulma smiled, clearly excited that someone in their house was interested in one of her projects. "It's a replica of the hyperbolic time chamber!" Pan cocked her head to the side. Bulma continued, "It's a machine that used to train for a year's worth of training in one day." Pan frowned, "Why on Earth would we need that?" Bulma smiled, "Well, your dad used the original twice and saved the Earth from Cell! Has anyone ever told you that story?" Pan crossed her arms, "Yes. My mom told me all about it. But why do we need it now?" Bulma sighed and walked over to her desk. She pressed a small, square button and a computer monitor appeared, suspended in the air. She pressed some keys in midair and sat at the desk. "Well, Vegeta wants to be able to train for several days at a time without missing much time out here. Partially because I'm sick of him practically living in the gravity machine." Trunks scoffed, "Mom, I need to help her with this project! It says here that it's due tomorrow…Pan?" Pan laughed, "Oh, yeah…well what with being captured and all I kinda got a little side tracked." Trunks relaxed and felt badly for scolding her. They had only just been released from the grasps of the saiyan madman. Pan turned back to Bulma before joining Trunks and said happily, "I'm sure you'll succeed at creating the new chamber in no time, !" Bulma smiled, "The challenge is allowing a person to enter several times and for several days! The previous chamber only allowed a max of two days or two one day sessions. You couldn't physically enter the chamber for more than two sessions, because if you stayed for longer than that, you could never escape." Pan turned white, "Well that's scary!" Bulma giggled, "But I'm such a genius! I discovered how to fix this…I've got it up to four days without needing to emerge! If I could just get it to a week then I would get Vegeta off of my back…" Pan exchanged another smile with Bulma and bounded back over to Trunks.

He had his black, thick-rimmed glasses on and was reading the cover page. "Pan…how old are you again?" She frowned, "I'll be fifteen in…2 hours!" Trunks looked at his expensive, golden watch, "Woah! It's eleven! Alright let's get this done…and how are you possibly ten years younger than me? I'm old…" Pan smiled and began to prepare herself for a long night of work. Little did Trunks know, she hadn't even started her project.


	28. Chapter 28

Small beeping sounds buzzed and hissed in the silence. A faucet was dripping somewhere. Trunks felt cold, like he had been sleeping under the icy wind of a cold AC unit. He struggled between reality and dream world for several minutes, pulling his arms into his shirt for warmth.

Though his stomach was very warm and comforting to wrap his arms around within the polo shirt that he wore, his face continued to feel freezing cold. He wondered how he could have possibly fallen asleep on such a cold surface. He shifted his face a bit, but cold drool rolled down his cheek and caused him to slurp out a loud snore, waking him from dream world and into the darkness that was the room surrounding him.

He sat up painfully, stretching his back and lifting his arms high above his head. He watched the various blue and red lights around him blinking as they flickered on and off. He rubbed his eyes harshly, trying to rub away the sleepiness that completely engrossed his consciousness. A yawn overtook him, swallowing his face into a long inhale. As he rolled his chair backwards to reach for the light above his desk, a blinding, white light lit up the surrounding area from his phone. He reached for it innocently at first, but quickly realized that this was not the first time he'd turned it off this morning.

His face fell and his heart began to pound as he watched his hand reaching for the phone in slow motion. A cold sweat crept down his spine, causing his stomach muscles to clench and his eyes to strain. "Please…please don't be late…" He grasped the phone in his fingertips and gulped. The phone beckoned him to silence the vibrating alarm, but he resisted looking at the clock. He hit the side button and silenced the alarm without looking, but another alarm soon followed before his heart rate could slow. Ok Trunks, he thought, just look at the time. It'll be okay. You're fine. His eyes traveled down to the screen and to his dismay, the clock read 7:20AM. "Shit!" Trunks exclaimed. He shot up from the rolly chair, sending it backwards into the darkness.

"Mmm?" He heard not too far away from him. He jumped at the sound at first, thinking it was a ghost in the darkness. Trunks had always hated the basement. When the realization of what was happening hit him, he whispered, "Pan?" He heard shuffling about and grumbling. "What's wrong? Why is it so dark?" She mumbled sleepily. He could hear her rubbing her eyes and shifting about in the large, plush armchair that had been sitting empty and unused against the wall for as long as he could remember. Trunks reached up and switched on the desk light above their heads and lit up the area with a blinding light. "Ah!" Pan growled, "Why didn't you warn me?" Trunks checked his phone again, "I've gotta go. Grab your stuff!" Trunks threw her papers at her. She scrambled to catch them all and rolled them up into a long tube. "Gee, thanks!" Trunks smiled and grabbed her around the waist.

"Trunks? What the hell are you doing?" Pan hollered as Trunks shot up the staircase at top speed. "I'm late for a meeting. I'll drop you off on the wall, you're late, too." Pan kicked and thrashed in protest but Trunks had a grip that was impossible to avoid. The surface air, free of electrical smells and beeps, broke in a refreshing blow as Trunks flung open the door and blasted down the quiet hallway. Goten stood in the kitchen in a business suit, eating a bagel. "Hey! I was beginning to think you forgot that today was my first day…are we supposed to be there already?" His voice became increasingly more worried as he watched Trunks dance around anxiously in place, swinging Pan around. "Trunks, put me down!" Pan cried as she swung helplessly. Goten laughed, "Well, let's go!"

They kicked off of the front porch and into the fresh, morning sky. The air was chilly, but not unusually so for November. Pan continued to protest her captor, but Trunks continued to hold on tight. He wasn't sure why as Pan was perfectly capable of flying herself, but he felt like it was his responsibility to get her to school since he woke up so late.

"Okay, Pan…bombs away!" Goten yelled, pinching Trunks on the arm and causing him to instantly drop her. "Damn you, uncle Goten!" Pan yelled as she fell several feet before catching herself and landing near the school. Trunks punched Goten in the arm, but he laughed and continued ahead. Trunks thought it was strange that he was so chipper, but he supposed that was because Trunks offered him a way to pay for all of the responsibilities that were coming up. He wasn't sure if Goten told Bra that he'd be working for Capsule Corp, but it would be weird if she were to work with them, too. Trunks caught up to Goten hurriedly, "Hey…so there's this meeting today…." Goten smiled innocently, "Do you need me to take notes?" Trunks frowned awkwardly, "Well, it's more like…just sit there and look smart. I don't have anything for you to do today but follow me around and learn the layout." Goten looked extremely pleased, "Sweet! I can do that!" Trunks smiled at his childhood friend. How long it seemed since the last time Goten was content and joking around.

When they were boys, Trunks could tell Goten anything. He was the one person that seemed to understand without all of the words. Trunks had a hard time expressing his feelings in a direct way, especially when it came to girls, so Goten learned his weird communicative language and simply let him talk out his problems through training or camping. Goten was always so good at outdoor activities. Whenever the city life felt like too much, he could count on Goten to bring him back to Earth with some crazy adventure in the country. When they became teenagers, Goten began getting girlfriend after girlfriend, leaving Trunks to figure out most things on his own without the communication he'd relied on for so many years. His mother wanted perfect grades, his father couldn't have cared less, and then his sister…it was all too much for him.

College wasn't much different. They joined the same fraternity, but the future CEO was hell-bent on getting perfect grades before partying. While Goten seamlessly aced every exam and every project without issue, Trunks stayed up all night studying and still struggled to get grades like Goten. He found it strange, considering his mother was the smartest woman in the world, that he seemed to inherit his father's brain. There were a few girls, but never anything serious. Every girl always turned out to simply want a piece of the Brief fortune. It was well known who he was and how much money he had by the gadgets he carried around and the car he drove. Goten always rode a modest bike, attracting the environmentalists and the health nut girls. Then he got serious with Marron. It was like the old Goten disappeared and a strange, anti-social man emerged.

When Goten was with Marron, he was always moody and aggravated. They fought more often than they spoke normally, but Goten often bragged of their makeup rituals and seemed to genuinely believe that it meant she forgave him every time. Trunks remembered the nights he sat awkwardly at an event as the third wheel, praying for someone foreign who wouldn't recognize him and talk to him like a normal guy. That never happened.

Goten's demeanor changed yet again a year ago, when he ended it with Marron and began to see the girl that everyone hated. Trunks couldn't even remember her name, but he remembered her from high school and how being around her made him feel smarter without trying. Goten became sneaky and caddy, spending money that he didn't have and partying like it was freshman year all over again. It was such a dark time for him, and it seemed to all tie together when Goku came back. All those years of Goten hating his father lead up to that one moment of reuniting with him. What did Goten do? Run away, get wasted and bang Trunks' sister.

Trunks shuddered briefly, but remembered that he was also trying to get with Marron, Goten's forbidden ex. The past few months had been absolutely insane, thought Trunks. Goten startled him by banging into his shoulder, "Stop daydreaming! We're here!" Goten dropped down and landing harshly, bounding up and straightening his jacket. "You're stupid." Trunks said with a laugh as he, too straightened his jacket and began his ascent to the honorary oval office.

The Capsule Corp building was a huge skyscraper in the center of West City. It rivaled the designs of the Empire State Building but contained the most advanced technology known to man. The large, black structure reflected the sunlight off of its many windows and disappeared into the clouds. Trunks watched Goten as he observed the area, smiling like a goof. He cleared his throat and motioned for Trunks to lead the way, so Trunks decided it was time to test his investment in hiring his friend.

"So you have your own office, right? Will I get an assistant desk?" Goten asked eagerly. Trunks rolled his eyes, "Yes. You'll have your own office next to mine, no worries. Whatever you want." Goten smiled and seemed to hold his breath as they entered the large, glass door and stepped into the grand lobby of the building. The ceiling was sky high and painted like an ancient cathedral. There were angels, cherubs, all sorts of mythical creatures and biblical symbols. "What's with the ceiling?" Goten asked as he marveled and twirled around slightly trying to take it all in. "It was my mom's idea. She wanted it to feel majestic…that was the first step in her mind." Trunks answered matter of factly as he signed in on a computer at the reception desk. The woman behind the counter handed him a badge and held up another for Goten. "Have a fantastic day " the woman chimed, awaiting a response from Goten as well. "Oh, …" The woman smiled and repeated her greeting.

As they walked away, Goten looked like he was beaming with pride. "I feel so important!" Trunks laughed, "Too bad your badge says trainee." Goten looked down and frowned, "Damn. Oh, well." Goten held his head high and continued to strut down the hallways, smiling at everyone. Trunks forgot how people act as newbies in the industry. He grew up in these halls.

They approached a large conference room and Trunks stopped. He turned to Goten and took a deep breath. "Here we go…" He whispered. They pushed open the wooden door and Trunks felt the eyes of every person within the meeting burning into him as he walked solemnly to his seat. He wasn't usually late to these sorts of things, but it wasn't unheard of. The older clients and workers were quite disappointed when Bulma stepped down as CEO and passed the title to her young and inexperienced son. His face continued to turn beet red and heat up until he felt sweat dripping down his face and needed to loosen his tie a bit. "I'm…sorry that I'm late. We can begin this meeting now." One of the older gentleman in the room pointed at Goten, "Who is this?" Trunks swallowed hard, "This is my new assistant, ." Goten waved. His face was confident and completely lacked any nervous tendencies. He may not admit it, but Goku passed the best of his notable traits on to Goten for sure.

After an hour or so, the meeting adjourned and everyone but Trunks and Goten left the room. Trunks sat with his head in his hands and couldn't seem to speak. Goten placed a hand on Trunks' back. "It'll be okay, man. You won't be gone long." Trunks sighed and sat back in the chair. "I've never been to America." Goten smiled, "Look at it as a great opportunity! Besides, it's only five days. You'll be home on time for Thanksgiving!" Trunks smiled, "Yes. To celebrate an American holiday with my Japanese friends and family. Well, technically my mom was born in the states…California, I think." Goten shrugged, "Any holiday with lots of food is sure to attract saiyans." Trunks smiled and sighed, looking out the window hopelessly. The last place he wanted to go was to the place Marron ran off to hide from life and get away from him.

***Sorry for the delay guys! I haven't forgotten you and this story will go on for a long time to come. I will not abandon this fanfic so don't worry! 3****


	29. Chapter 29

When Trunks and Goten returned home that night, Pan was at the house again. She was sitting at the kitchen table with Bra looking at baby supplies online. Trunks had forgotten what good friends they were, especially since Bra found out that she was pregnant by Pan's uncle. Videl being pregnant really shocked Pan, but she seemed happy none the less. With her parents closer than ever, Pan insinuated she'd rather spend her time elsewhere.

Trunks entered the kitchen and greeted the two who responded with distracted grunts while staring at the screen. He sat at the large, oak table and began to play with his phone. He began looking at random articles to ease the awkward silence. In his peripheral vision, he noticed that Pan was frequently looking up at him. Each time he tried to meet her gaze she would quickly return to Bra's computer screen and blush. What a weird kid, he thought. He couldn't believe that she was fifteen already. She was no longer the little girl that bounced around in a bandana with her grandfather's signature gi on. She had become a beautiful young woman who resembled her grandmother Chichi very closely. Trunks smiled as he thought about growing up with little Pan trailing around after them. She always looked up to Trunks and Goten so much, even if they never wanted her around as teenagers. He sometimes wished that she were just a little older so that she could do more activities with them, but that was his own private thought. He never intended to share with anyone how much he enjoyed having the spunky and cheerful girl around to brighten up the day.

Goten had wandered back to his room to change into sweatpants and a hoodie before joining the others. He strolled into the room yawning and stretching, greeting Bra with a kiss on the head. He leaned over the back of her chair and placed his arms around her. He propped his chin on her head and stared at the screen with wide eyes. Trunks almost laughed out loud. He knew that Goten must be looking at the price tags. It would only be a matter of time before he learned truly how much money Bra spent on a daily basis. She really had no regard for money since Vegeta entrusted her with a personal credit card against Bulma and his own wishes, but their father adored Bra and gave her whatever she desired.

"Goten…do you think it's a boy or a girl?" Bra asked, breaking the silence. Goten squinted as though thinking critically, "Well…I think it's a boy." Pan frowned, "Why can't it be girl?" Goten flicked her shoulder, "I didn't say it couldn't be…it's just the Son family is better known for having boys. You were a luck of the draw." Pan crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue at her closely-aged uncle. Goten and Pan grew up more like brother and sister since he was only eight when Pan was born. With Gohan playing father and often losing every battle to a teen-aged Goten, Pan's leash was tight and short. She often blamed Goten for her lack of freedom.

Bra continued to stare ahead, ignoring the bickering, until she chimed in wistfully. "I think it's a girl." Goten returned to his post on her head, "Why is that, hun?" Bra smiled, "I just have a feeling." Goten nuzzled into her shiny, blue hair, "Whatever you say. I'm happy either way." Pan smiled and relaxed. Trunks noticed himself relax with Pan, as though her being mildly upset bothered him as well.

A knock at the door startled them. Trunks hopped up to get it, tripping over the chair and nearly falling. They laughed and he answered the door with a smile. When his face quickly fell and he backed away from the door, Goten marched over to see who stood outside. It was Mikio and Kazuko.

Goten instantly flew forward, grabbing Mikio by the collar and shaking him. Kazuko started yelling and punching at Goten's arm, but she was no match for his saiyan grip. Trunks started yelling as well, but couldn't bring himself to separate them. He was far too eager to hurt Mikio himself to stop Goten from injuring him.

Trunks turned and ran inside. He stood just inside the doorway and locked eyes with his sister. He could have sworn that her eyes flashed a neon-purple color for a moment before returning to their normal, sparkling blue. She rose from the table calmly, but Pan urged her to sit again. "You don't have to worry…uncle Goten can take care of this!" She placed a hand on Bra's arm, but Bra smacked her away. "I need answers." Bra answered quietly. Her face was stone cold and completely lacked emotion. She turned and began towards the door, but Trunks held out a hand. "Bra…you can't lose control again. Dad is upstairs sleeping…I can get him and…" Bra pushed Trunks aside, knocking him to the ground. Pan gasped and ran to help him up. "I'm fine, Pan. I don't know what to do right now…" He said, taking Pan's hand and steading himself against the wall nearest the staircase.

Bra stood beside Goten for a moment, but in a flash of light grabbed Kazuko and transformed into her strange super saiyan form. Goten stopped thrashing but held Mikio and turned him towards the angry female saiyan. "Stop! She's just a human." Mikio yelled with fear in his eyes. Kazuko stood in shock, clearly not having any clue as to what was going on. "Put me down, Bra! What are you doing?" She tried to wiggle free, but Bra grabbed her neck and held her above the ground.

"Tell me everything you know about my baby right now or she will pay the price for what you've done." Bra said in a deeper and furious tone. Goten shoved Mikio forward and said firmly, "You have thirty seconds to answer her or I'll let her do whatever she wants. No stopping this time." Mikio fell forward and gasped for air. "Okay…Okay I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Please don't hurt her…she insisted on coming. She doesn't know anything!" Bra's eyes glowed green as her flames died down slightly. "Fine." She stated simply, dropping Kazuko hard onto the ground.

Kazuko's raspberry colored hair flew every which way in the wind generated by the ferocious power of Bra's form as she crawled back to Mikio. "I don't have time for games. What is wrong with my baby?" Bra took a step forward, generating energy in her palm as a threat for sudden movements. Mikio watched her tiny ball of fierce energy flames for a moment before answering, "Your baby will live. There is no possible way that she could die. Not now that you've carried her this long and showing symptoms of the transformation!" Mikio grabbed Kazuko and pulled her close to him as they cowered on the grass below. "What do you mean transformation? And how do you know that it's a girl?" Goten asked, stunned by the new information. Mikio sighed loudly, "If it were a boy, the experiment would have killed it. The fact that it's alive and growing means that the trait was a success. My father wanted to create a saiyan super-race. One that could surpass any form of warrior every to exist." Bra lowered her hand and reduced her energy blast to almost nothing. "So what you're telling me is that she's some kind of super saiyan?" Mikio shook his head and smiled, "No. She's much more than that. She will be everything and anything she wants to be. Brains…brawn…she'll be able to do anything." Bra dropped her arm completely and relaxed to her normal form. "Keep talking." She said calmly. Mikio took another gulp and began to stand up. "You know that I am a saiyan, too. I want everything for our race that you do. I recognize King Vegeta as our ruler and you as our princess. I wouldn't lie to you again…I have decided to continue our friendship and cast aside my father's regime. After I learned of his death, I was angry, so I was unfair and cruel to you both…I'm sorry. I only wish to continue our friendship."

Trunks looked at Pan with disbelief. He had a very hard time believing anything that Mikio said, but he did seem genuine. Pan whispered, "Trunks…I'm scared." Trunks looked at the raven-haired girl and asked, "Why? It's okay…we've got more than enough power to get rid of him if we need to…" Pan stared directly into Trunks' soul and responded, "That girl out there isn't Bra." Trunks looked out the door at his sister again and realized what Pan meant. Her eyes were in fact glowing purple. They seemed to have a white hot center, like the area around her pupils was an electric blue. Her expression was different and solemn, but full of power and rage. It was a demeanor that truly did not belong to his carefree and rebellious sister. Even as a child, she may have thrown many fits, but rage was not part of them. Vegeta's general displeasure towards most people didn't even come close to the look of disdain on her face as she stood watching the events unfolding in front of her.

Goten turned to Trunks with tears in his eyes. "It's a girl, man…" He mouthed to them silently. Trunks and Pan smiled at him, but as he turned back to Bra and the two visitors, Trunks and Pan returned to their conversation. "I'm telling you, I've got a bad feeling. I wish I could fight like you…maybe I could help protect her if something bad happens." Trunks smiled with all of his might at the young saiyan, "You are perfect the way you are. I'm sure you'll be a super saiyan soon…until then you could certainly help us the way you are now." Pan blushed and leaned closer to Trunks. "I know I'm supposed to be a dumb teenager, but I'm not sure I'll have this chance again." Before he could respond, she pecked him on the cheek. Trunks felt his heart flutter and the world around him stop for a moment. "Pan! What the…" He surprised himself with his negative reaction. She was far too young to be acting like this in his mind. "It's okay. It won't happen again…until I'm older." She winked at his dumbfounded face and got up. She turned and left the entryway, but Trunks was too shocked to notice which way she went. His face was hot and red and his level of embarrassment couldn't be higher. He snapped out of his trance and realized that Goten could have seen, but their conversation was still the focus outside.

With a racing heart, Trunks leaned against the wall and exhaled. He couldn't comprehend all of the feelings that he had, but the first thought that came to his mind was Marron. He hadn't heard from her again, though it had only been a day, but he wished she'd at least sent a text when she arrived in America. He worried that she might not be okay, but her exit was so hurtful the previous day that he couldn't bring himself to text her and ask if she was in fact doing fine. He instantly summed up the moment with Pan as an extension of his true feelings for Marron. He had to find her when he flew to the USA. He had to tell her how he felt and get her back to Japan. He had to prove to her that she belonged with him and stop messing around with his difficult to express his feelings.

"Trunks!" Goten snapped him out of his deep trance. "What?" Trunks responded flatly. "I'm gonna be a daddy to a little girl!" Goten waltzed back to the computer on the table. Trunks looked outside, "What happened with Mikio?" he asked confused, "Where'd he go?" Bra shut the front door and locked it behind her. "They left." She leaned her head against the door and placed a hand on her belly. "Lace." She said in a whisper. Goten peered up from the screen, "What? C'mere and look at this stuff with me!" He clearly was ecstatic about the news without considering Bra's confusion. "Lace." Bra said again, still staring ahead as though looking straight through Trunks. "What lace?" Trunks looked around at the floor. "I don't see any…" He shrugged at her and motioned for her to come over to him, "Come here, sis…come look at baby stuff and forget whatever that psycho said about it…" He looked at her belly. Bra snapped angrily, "Her name is Lace. She is not an it!" Her eyes turned purple again, but changed back to blue in an instant. "What's wrong with your eyes?" Trunks asked her, "They keep turning…" Bra held up a hand. "Shut up!" She looked hurt and confused. Trunks began to apologize, but she ran past him and slammed the door to Goten's bedroom.

"Well now you did it, genius…" Goten said as he scrolled through a plethora of pink websites. Trunks sighed and slid down the wall onto the floor again. "Where'd Pan go?" Goten said with little concern. Trunks looked around and realized she'd left earlier, "Uh…not sure." Goten shrugged. Clearly things had once again gotten weird in the Brief household, but Trunks decided to stay focused on the task at hand: Operation get Marron back.

He wandered up to his room and closed the door behind him, locking it for good measure. It was time to make the call. He was going to call Marron and tell her everything. He didn't care about her feelings for Goten and he didn't care that she was in another country. He was willing to fly across the world to see her. He began to scroll through his phone for her number, but instead came across a missed text message. When he opened it, his heart beat so hard that he felt his ears ring.

"I'm sorry about today. I shouldn't have done that. I know I was out of line. I'll make it up to you. I'll see you in a week. –Pan"

Trunks stared at the message. He read it several times, until he memorized the words. Why did she run off? And why for a week? His head filled with thoughts. Suddenly he worried that the call he was about to make wasn't purely for Marron, but to get his mind off of Pan as well. He swallowed his confusion and scrolled to Marron's name and hastily hit the call button.


	30. Chapter 30

Pan's black hair swayed in the wind. She was sitting on the bricks that lined the outside of Capsule Corp's gates and thinking about what she could possibly do to get Trunks to notice her. Clearly her advance towards him was not welcomed, but that was probably only because of her age. She was certainly not a little girl anymore, but in her mind she was practically a woman. She'd matured greatly since the times of her following Trunks and her uncle Goten around and begging for them to train with her. However, with Regine graduating home school early and heading off to University in Osaka and her mother pregnant, Pan had been feeling a bit left out lately. School was uninteresting and dull, with grades being the farthest thing from the top of her priority list. It had been six weeks since Trunks left for America, and Pan could only assume that he'd reunited with Marron and decided to stay for a while. Training harder was the only thing that distracted her from the pain of rejection.

As she sat there in the cold, bundled up in her thick winter coat and warm hat, an approaching power level startled her. She jumped off of the line of bricks and looked around. It was starting to get dark and the lights above weren't much help to see down the street. She thought about jumping into the air, but the ki didn't feel threatening. Still, it was foreign to her and not like any of the saiyans that she recognized.

"Hello, Pan." A smooth, light voice spoke to her from the darkness. "Who's there?" Pan stood her ground and readied herself for a fight. "Woah, please don't be alarmed. It's just me, Tarble." Pan relaxed, "Oh! I'm so sorry, sir…" She bowed her head to him in apology. She knew that he wasn't accustomed to being an earthling yet, so she felt obligated to show him a bit more respect than she would if it were simply another saiyan that she knew. "Oh…please. I don't want to bother you. I just saw you over here alone. Are you alright?" He was so polite and sweet compared to Vegeta, Pan thought. It was hard to believe that they were related. She sighed and crossed her arms, "I'm just…going through some stuff." Tarble walked over to her and sat on the bricks next to where she stood. "I understand that…" He looked at the sidewalk with sad eyes that seemed to carry the weight of the world within them. Pan sat down beside him.

He was very small, only a tiny bit taller than Pan. His age didn't show nearly as much as Vegeta and Goku's did. Even though saiyans retain their youth for much longer than humans do, it seemed like Tarble was much younger than Vegeta. "Say…how old are you?" Pan asked inquisitively. Tarble looked surprised, "Oh…uh…in human years, I suppose that you could say I am 35." Pan sighed. He's way too old to be sitting out here alone with her. What is it with older men? Pan laughed at her thoughts, prompting Tarble to ask what was so funny. She sighed loudly, "I'm just…a magnet for trouble." Tarble looked confused, "Trouble? But you seem like such a sweet girl. You remind me a lot of my late wife." Pan suddenly felt awful. She had completely forgotten that the saiyan guards that took them all captive killed his wife, Gure, in cold blood. His face was full of sadness again when her eyes met his. "I'm really sorry, Mr..uh…Tarble." He smiled, "Please just call me Tarble. The formalities on this planet baffle me. I spent most of my time on a planet that valued others as individuals no matter their status of royalty or lack thereof." Pan marveled at his speech. It was eloquent, with a certain accent that Vegeta possessed as well.

She stood up again, ready to head home. "Where are you off to?" He asked politely. "I'm going home I suppose…I don't know what I was doing here anyways." Tarble looked down at his feet. "Well, if I'm not mistaken, you have feelings for Trunks?" Pan turned bright red and nearly fell down at his lack of subtlety. "I don't!...I can't!...I'm not!..." Pan stammered on for a few moments before Tarble laughed. His laugh was light and warm, like a ray of sunshine on a rainy day. Pan stopped talking and put her hands in her puffy coat's pockets. "I am too young for him. He'll only ever see me as a little sister." Tarble nodded his head in understanding. "Is that your only reason for not pursing a relationship with him?" Pan blushed violently, "Well…yes…" Tarble sighed, "On my planet, age was not an issue. Of course, the people there didn't age or look anything like saiyans…or humans. I sometimes wish that I could turn back the clock and grow up here on this planet. It would certainly help me to understand your strange customs that my brother has grown so fond of." Pan stood with a lost look on her face. She desired to be older more than anything. She would gladly skip the next five years of her life in an instance if it meant that she had a chance to be with Trunks. Yet here this saiyan stands, only a few inches taller than her, wishing to be young again? It all made no sense to Pan.

"So…how old would you want to be?" She asked out of curiosity as she began to kick around a small rock on the road in front of them. "I'm not sure…if I had to give an age based on human aging…probably just at the start of manhood." Pan choked, "Manhood?" She felt severely embarrassed, but he didn't seem to take it the same way that she did. "You know…perhaps eighteen or nineteen. Maybe even twenty." Pan sighed with relief. "What did you think that I was referring to?" He asked, clueless to the corruption that Pan's mind contained. "Oh, nothing. I mean…I wish that I was eighteen, too." Tarble cocked his head to one side, "Why?" She sighed. He really was an alien. "That's the age when you can do whatever you want! I could move out, get a real job…the possibilities are endless when you turn eighteen!" Tarble smiled, "Really? That's exciting!" Pan rubbed her head. He was so innocent. A question was burning in her mind, and before she could stop it, she word vomited all over the situation. "So did you and your wife have any kids?" Tarble looked confused by her question. He paused and looked down at his feet. Pan felt stupid for asking and tried to quell the situation, "I'm sorry, that was impolite of me. It's none of my business…" Tarble looked up with a very serious expression. "That was simply impossible."

Pan returned to her seat next to him and pulled one of her legs up underneath her. "So…you can't have kids?" Tarble seemed confused, "I'm not really sure. I meant that it was impossible for me to mate with her species." Pan felt a bloody nose coming on from pure humiliation at his non-existent modesty. "Mate?" She exclaimed. Tarble shrugged, "Yes, well…I know that saiyans had a mating ceremony and shortly after would own a child to be sent to another planet and continue their parents work, but I never got to participate in that. I'm not really sure how it works. When I asked Gure, she simply said that it was impossible, so I didn't ask again." Pan was utterly fascinated. "So you have no idea how this…mating…actually occurred?" She felt like a pervert asking such a question, but she had to ask him direct questions or he would give her another indirect answer. "I really don't. It's quite fascinating, the events occurring with Vegeta's daughter. I never imagined a life where parents were so nurturing to their young. It's heartwarming to see my brother acting this way." Pan had just about enough complete insanity for the night. "Well…on that note…" She began to rise, but Tarble reached out and grabbed her arm. "Listen, you are quite interesting to talk to. Bulma seems to be busy with work and Vegeta will not train with me. Would you like to train together tomorrow? I feel left out…I am the only one who can't transform." Pan scowled, "I can't either." Tarble released her arm, but continued holding her gaze contently. "Oh…well, perhaps we can help each other, then!" His smile was large and bright, causing Pan to feel obligated to agree. It couldn't be too bad of an idea. "Well…I will under one circumstance…" Tarble nodded his head eagerly. "You have got to get rid of that tail!" Tarble's face twisted into that of complete horror, "What? My tail? But…but why would you suggest that?" Pan rolled her eyes, expecting to know what he was about to say.

"A saiyan's tail is his lifeline. I am quite aware of the power that I possess in keeping my tail on a foreign planet. I would never put myself in a position to destroy a life. I love life." He unwrapped his tail from his waist and held it in his hands. "This is a symbol of the life that I live. I choose how to live it, and I certainly choose to keep my tail until I die." Pan looked at him completely baffled. She began to turn away, but Tarble stopped her again. "You must alter your clothing to hide your tails here, right?" Pan threw her hand up and rested her face in her palm. "No…mine was cut off when I was born." Tarble practically fell off of the wall in horror. "What? Removed? By whom?" Pan couldn't help but laugh. "All of our tails are removed. Your brother almost killed everyone when he first transformed, so did my dad, so after my dad's was removed, my parents decided not to let any future saiyans keep their tails. Uncle Goten, Trunks and Bra's are all gone, too." Tarble squealed in pain and wrapped his around his waist. "Please do not remove mine! I would like to keep it! I won't go outside on a full moon! I promise! Just help me train!" Pan threw up her arms in surrender and scoffed, "Fine! I'll help you." He smiled and hopped up. He threw his arms around her in joy. Pan felt her face heat up and pushed him away, "What are you doing?" He laughed at her, "Perhaps we can take a good walk around the area as well? I'm afraid to go too far away from this home because I won't be able to find my way back. I have a horrible sense of direction." Pan looked at him with disbelief, "Can't you just fly? You should be able to feel Vegeta's ki, too…" Tarble looked ashamed, "I'm not so good with either of those things…perhaps that can be our first lesson!" Pan shrugged and gave up trying to justify any reasons why she couldn't help him.

The next day, Pan walked to Capsule Corp after school instead of flying. She knew that he would be waiting in the same spot, but didn't want to rush. She was dreading this as though it were a form of studying, her least favorite activity. She told Videl and Gohan that she was getting extra help from Bulma, so she figured that she'd have at least until after dinner time to work with Tarble.

Sure enough, as she approached the Brief home, there he was. He was sitting with a book of some sort, reading intently and ignoring his surroundings. His tail waved around happily behind him without a single thought of someone cutting it off. She decided to use this as a serious training moment. Without hesitation, she kicked off of the ground and blasted towards Tarble. She spiraled full speed at him and grabbed his tail. She stood next to him on the sidewalk, tail in hand, laughing at his lack of focus.

Tarble sat completely still, holding the book tightly, but with a look of total dismay on his face. His Vegeta-like features appeared like a softened version of the hardcore warrior as Tarble trembled at the hands of a mere quarter-saiyan. Pan laughed evily and let go of his tail, throwing it towards him. He fell to the ground and sat there, completely frozen in fear. "Why…why would you do that? I told you that I didn't want to lose my tail!" Pan sighed, "Rule number one…always have your guard up! Anyone could have seen you waving that thing around! That means anyone could come up and cut it right off!" She made a chopping motion with her hand that made Tarble's spine crawl. "I'm sorry!" He wrapped his tail tightly around his waist, "I won't do it again!"

Pan felt so superior to this man. He says that he's thirty-five, but he acts as though he is an equal to her. There were no feelings of seniority or authority, only that of gratitude and respect. She decided that spending some quality time with Tarble wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Hours flew by as she trained and sparred with Tarble. He was quick, smart and gutsy with his attacks, but Pan's experience bested him every time. She got him to fly much faster simply by flying at her normal speed. His desire to keep up with her was great enough to inspire all sorts of accomplishment that should have taken weeks to achieve. She enjoyed his quick progress, but in the back of her mind worried that he would transform before her if she didn't slow him down.

"Does your family require you home?" Tarble asked as they rested in a nearby field. "No. No one even notices that I'm gone. My dad thinks that Bulma is tutoring me in school work, so he lets me stay out." Tarble laughed, "I don't see how that can be of importance. I saw the work that you did with Trunks on your project. I don't understand how that can help you in life." Pan smiled widely, "Exactly!" She laid back on the soft grass and stared up at the starry sky. It was dark enough to see some stars, but still lit by the city lights. Tarble laid back with a thud next to Pan, rather close to her. She felt a warm pull in her stomach. "I love this planet. It's so beautiful." He said softly. She rolled over and looked at him, "So…what does it look like from the other planet?" Tarble smiled, not moving his gaze from the stars. "It's bluer. It never looks quite this dark there. There's also multiple moons and other planets around. You can see all of them so clearly…so much bigger, too. This planet has such a tiny, single moon." Pan was mesmerized by his descriptions. His eyes were big, bright pools of black as he admired the view and seemed to enjoy the feeling of grass beneath him. "Did your planet have grass?" Pan asked. Tarble looked to his side and pulled out a clump. "Not like this. It was harder, more like…plastic. It was also purple." Pan scrunched up her face in disgust and laughed. "That's so weird!" She exclaimed, but Tarble shrugged. "Your planet is very…weird. I never imagined so much…" He paused long enough for Pan to feel awkward in the silence. "What?" She finally asked. "Life." He breathed.

Pan finally sat up and decided she should head home. Tarble watched her get up and held out a hand playfully for help getting himself off of the cool Earth. "I really had a good time today, Pan." Pan smiled, "Me too!" Tarble looked at the ground. "So…I have this theory. I'd like to test it tomorrow if you aren't too busy?" Pan responded energetically, "Of course not! Let's check it out!" He grinned from ear to ear, "Perfect! Same time, same place, then." Pan gave him a thumbs up and kicked off into the air, turning him into a small, black dot in a field of dancing grass.

When she arrived the next day, Tarble was sitting on the grass, tail wrapped, and waving at her from a distance. She smiled at the thought that he was using his senses to feel her ki instead of waiting to see her with his eyes. She shot forward, landing next to him. "I don't have as much time today, so what was the theory that you had in mind?" Tarble rose to his feet. "I didn't tell you something about myself." She looked at him confused, "What do you mean?" He sighed, turning away from her and crossing his arms. "I'm…highly intelligent." Pan laughed, "What?" She wondered if all of the training from previous day made him delirious. "My planet had extremely advanced technology. I was exploring Bulma's lab and…well, she doesn't come close to what I worked on with Gure." Pan's mouth fell open. "You're telling me that all of that gibber-gabber down there makes sense to you?" Tarble turned to face her with a confused look, "Yes?" She dropped her crossed arms in disbelief. "I want to try something, but I'll need you to come with me to test the hypothesis." He started towards the house, but Pan grabbed his arm. "Wait, wait, wait…you sat there and told me that my school work was unimportant but you are a super genius?" Tarble shrugged, "It is obsolete."

Pan continued to feel totally baffled by this strange saiyan. He was so innocent, yet so experienced. His sweet smile seemed so pure, yet his intelligence was completely wise and mature. Pan felt her cheeks getting warm as she thought about him, but shook her head and tried to stay level headed. "What are you going to show me? Tell me now." Tarble took her hand, "Let me show you!" He started running towards the back of the house. "What are we doing?" He looked from side to side, leaning up against the side of the round house. "We're sneaking into the lab!" Pan's hair practically stood on end. "What do you mean sneaking in? There's a back door? And why not just go in from the inside?" Tarble sighed, "So many questions for such a small girl…" Pan scoffed, "You are like an inch taller than me!" He smiled. Was this his way of flirting? She felt totally confused. "Ok!" He exclaimed quietly, grabbing her hand again and tossing her forward. "Let's go!"

A small window sat just above ground, tilted open slightly. It was just large enough that they could shimmy through it. "I unlocked this earlier today when Bulma left. Vegeta is inside eating between training sessions right now, so we have to use this way." Pan suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline. She'd never done anything so devious.

After they both slipped through the tiny window, Tarble locked it and ran over to a large tarp covering the wall. Pan realized what it was and gasped. "Tarble! I can't go in there! What if it doesn't work?" Tarble looked offended, "It's my work…of course it will work." Pan came closer and he ripped down the tarp, revealing a large golden door. "I've calibrated it for two people. My age will reverse, while yours will increase!" Pan looked skeptical, "So…I just go inside and I'll age?" He nodded, "Precisely."

He started to fiddle with the many knobs and dials outside of the door that Pan remembered seeing Bulma adjusting. "So…we train in here…right?" Tarble nodded again. "Yes. We can finally achieve super saiyan form! We will have five years of training advantage." Pan frowned. "Okay…so I'll be twenty and you'll be…thirty? I thought you wanted to be younger." Tarble smiled proudly, "This is where it gets very interesting! I will reverse age at twice the speed, while you age slower. You will only reach the age of eighteen and I will reach the age of twenty-five!" Pan scowled, "I don't get it." Tarble smiled. "Well…just trust me. Isn't that what you want? No more high school and no more homework? Trunks?" Pan's face lit up. Trunks, of course! If she aged, he would have no excuse to avoid her anymore! She could finally convince him that she was the one for him. "Let's do this." Tarble opened the door excitedly. "Together!" He held out a hand. Pan took it and followed him in, the door shutting behind them. Five days would pass before they could emerge, completely different people and evolved saiyans. This was Pan's dream come true.


	31. Chapter 31

Six weeks had passed since Trunks left for America. Though the initial plan was for him to stay on business for a week, but he continued to extend the trip to visit sites and enjoy the country. Goten had a sneaking suspicion about what he was actually doing, but felt uncomfortable asking. It must be nice to be the president of a company and have the authority to do whatever you want. Besides, Trunks never shared his personal thoughts or feelings unless absolutely necessary. Even if the company did become bothered by his absence, which would never happen, they would always get a solid business excuse from Trunks. He got especially secretive and creative with explanations when a woman was involved. Growing up with Bulma as a mother certainly prepared him for a lifetime of getting away with whatever he wanted without divulging any details at all. Despite his clear message that he was doing perfectly well, Goten worried a bit about Trunks running after Marron. Pan told Goten about Marron's conversation with Trunks before leaving. Goten felt that her actions weren't out of character. Marron was seriously messed up from her father's death, her mother's new relationship with Yamcha and the fact that Bra was pregnant by her ex-fiancé. The poor girl didn't know what to do with her life. America was an easy out for her to start over and of course she took it without thinking. She never thought about decisions long before acting on them. It was one of the things that Goten had such a problem with about her. With the two of them being the most compulsive people on the planet, their decisions together were never good ones and were never discussed long before they actually happened. She was certainly not the best influence on Goten, but their families were always close. He wasn't sure if Chichi would ever accept Bra the way that she accepted Marron.

Goten sat at his desk writing a report on some data from Trunks when his new, shiny phone started buzzing. He smiled when the love of his life showed up on the screen smiling. "Hey, babe!" Goten chimed, "I've been thinking about you a lot today." Bra giggled, "Yeah? Well wait until you get home! I've been working on something…your mom came over today to spend some time with me." Goten nearly choked on the coffee he'd begun to sip out of his Capsule Corp mug, "My mom came there? To see you?" Bra's face fell into a classic Bulma scowl, "Well, yeah…she isn't heartless, you know." Goten wiped some coffee off of his chin and keyboard. "I'm just saying…it's weird. Did dad come?" Bra laughed, "Yes, but he's outside sparring with dad. Pan came with her and is around here somewhere. Videl stayed home with Gohan. I guess she's not feeling well today." Goten began to space out a bit and stared out the windows that lined his office wall. Though his office wasn't directly next to the outside windows, he did have a clear view of the long hallway up to Trunks' office and could see when people of importance were about to visit. Unfortunately for him, the second in command had a real disdain for Trunks. In turn, he also hated Goten. His bland, pale suit was barely visible at the end of the royally carpeted hallway. "Babe…I gotta go. The boss is coming!" Goten practically screamed at his phone, beating it senselessly to hang up. The man placed a hand on Goten's glass door's handle and entered without knocking. "Well, well…if it isn't here all by himself again." Goten shot to his feet and stared at the ground. "Uh…yes…hello, sir." The man smoothed his black mustache with his pointer finger before walking about the office and observing the surroundings. "This is an awfully nice office for such an unimportant employee…if Trunks doesn't get back here to defend your keep soon, I may have to move you to a more…communal…location." Goten swallowed hard. He was never very good with authority, especially disrespectful authority, but there was something about that seriously frightened the living hell out of him.

The slender man sat down in one of the leather chairs in front of Goten's desk and crossed his leg over the other. His large, expensive watch glistened under the florescent lights above. "I have a proposition for you." Goten pulled out his chair and sat down nervously. "I would like for you to retrieve our missing CEO from his hiatis. Things around here are…" He looked out the windows and down the hall before turning back to Goten, "Hectic." Goten leaned back in his chair in an attempt to look more authoritative, but almost fell backwards out of the chair and scooted up to the desk awkwardly. "Um…he's been in contact with me daily. He sends me data and reports to file and itemize and he's been closing new deals with companies in California all the way to New York." 's face was stone cold and unchanging, "So…will you go or do I have to fire you and hire someone who will? I only ask because I'm assuming that you two are…close." He looked down onto Goten's mahogany desk and motioned towards the lone picture that adorned the surface. The black frame held a picture that Goten took a few weeks ago of him and Bra sitting on the staircase of the Brief home. "I can only assume that the youngest child of the Brief family is the reason that you were hired with no prerequisites or qualifications for the job." Goten began to feel a cold sweat creep down his spine. He stuttered slightly, "I'm…I…well I guess I could travel." clapped his hands together suddenly, nearly sending Goten through the ceiling. "Excellent. I knew that I could count on you. All expenses paid, of course. I'll let my assistant know to arrange everything. You'll leave tomorrow." He got up from the chair and took another look at the photograph, "She is beautiful that one. Just as stunning as her mother." He smiled a crooked grin. Goten instantly felt protective and uneasy at his tone. "I will be in touch, ." Goten stiffly walked to his door and held it open for his superior, but wanted to drop it in his face as he slithered back into the hallway. Goten had a strange feeling that he knew him from somewhere else, but he couldn't decide where and definitely didn't know his face. It was more of a vibe feeling than anything else.

That night, Goten arrived home to his condo that he'd bought with Bra. It was good to have a place of his own, no longer living off of Bulma and Vegeta and certainly far away from his mother. He didn't remember until he opened the door and smelled the cooking that Chichi had come for a visit.

"Goten!" The familiar voice filled his head with a horrible dread before he got attacked with a hug. "I've been missing you all day! I had a fantastic day with your future wife…turns out that she's quite the little cook!" Bra stepped out of the kitchen holding a large bowl. She was wearing a pink apron, identical to Chichi's, and an adorable white cook hat to keep her long hair away from the food. She was still stirring the contents of the bowl furiously, but smiled at Goten and blew him a kiss before returning to the kitchen. She was about five months pregnant now, but looked much further along. According to Vegeta, saiyan women aren't pregnant for as long as human women. They had never experienced a saiyan woman giving birth before, but with as much saiyan blood her daughter was to have, they assumed Bra could go into labor at any time.

Goku sat on the couch to the right of Goten and turned to his son warmly. "Goten! I love this tv! I've never really watched one this big before…I could sit here all day!" Goten laughed as he hung his leather jacket on the hooks next to the front door. "I'm surprised you're here. Weren't you sparring with Vegeta?" Goku shrugged, "Your mom called me and said there was food." He smiled happily. Goten forgot how easy it was to distract his father from anything with the right amount of food. "That's cool, dad…" Goten walked into the living area and sat down with a thud. He dreaded the conversation he was about to have, especially with Bra as pregnant as she was. Going to America was the last thing he wanted to do at this point in time.

"What's up with you, son? You look kinda down…" Goku asked innocently. Goten sighed and looked over his shoulder to make sure Chichi and Bra were safely out of hearing distance. "The office wants to me to go to America and convince Trunks to come back." Goku looked shocked, "But…what about…" Goten slapped a hand over Goku's mouth. "I haven't told her yet. This all just went down. I'm gonna try to call him tonight to avoid this…it's not my intention to go, but they are going to demote me if Trunks doesn't get back here and defend my job!" He released Goku from his death grip and slid back into the large, puffy couch. "I just want him to come back here. Honestly, I can't afford any of this without that job. Trunks is paying me way too much…but I like it." He ran his hands over the soft, green sofa and put one of the designer pillows behind his head. "Bra doesn't spare any expense." Goku looked around at the deep red walls and gorgeous, dark crown molding. The furniture was posh and modern, with a homey touch from the choices Bra let Goten have. The lime green couch seemed out of place, but Bra assured them that it was the latest in home décor style. Goten frowned at the tv, "I love it here. I love this life." Goku's face fell slightly, "We didn't raise you to be so materialistic, son…" Goten's face instantly filled with anger. Goku held up his hands in surrender, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry, please…I know. Your mom didn't…is that better?" Goten relaxed, clutching another pillow like a child and breathing out his frustration. He was still very sensitive about his father's shoddy parenting, but tried his very best to learn to live with it. Goku knew that Goten was trying and instantly regretted his poor word choice. "Anyways, Goten...just call him tonight and see if he'll listen. Tell him it's urgent!" Goten stared up at the vaulted, white ceiling and felt like screaming. Just when he was starting to settle in and enjoy himself, another issue just had to arise.

Bra came out from the kitchen and said, "Okay, boys…come see what we've got for dinner!" Goku popped up and hugged Bra around the shoulders. "Thank you, thank you!" Bra laughed and held out a hand for Goten. He smiled weakly at her and got up, pulling her into his arms. "I love you." He said, kissing her forehead. She looked up at him and smiled. "I love you, too."

The table was set with beautiful candles and plates. Clearly, Chichi wanted tonight to be a memory for them as a family. Goten knew how much Chichi did for Videl and Gohan when Videl was pregnant, so this must be her way of doing the same for her second son. They all began to eat happily and talked about mundane, everyday things throughout the meal. Towards the end, Chichi's phone rang. "I'm sorry!" She said as she rose up to answer away from the table. Goku laughed, "I never thought I'd see the day when you could convince your mother and me to get cell phones." Goten smiled maniacally, "I never thought I'd see the day that you two would know how to use them." Bra slapped Goten on the arm, but they all seemed to agree to that fact.

Chichi came back into the room with a look of horror on her face. Bra stopped eating and rose up from her seat with concern. Goten rolled his eyes and put his face in his palm. "What now, mom? I know that look from any other…" He said with frustration. Judging by her expression, he knew that something else was about to happen. "It was Bulma…we should go over…" Bra placed a hand on her belly and the other on her head. "We can't have a drama free dinner, huh?" Chichi put her phone on the table. "I think Pan…may have done something very stupid." Goku's eyes lit up with worry. "What happened?" Chichi shrugged, "Bulma thought it was a genius idea to re-make the hyperbolic time chamber for Vegeta. It does the same thing but prevents aging. Pan seems to have locked herself inside for five days." Goku choked on his food. "What?" Goten exclaimed. Bra walked to the door to grab her coat. "Let's get over there now and figure out how we can get her out of that damn machine. I knew that this would happen…as soon as mom mentioned that it was down there and that she explained what it was to Pan.." Goten leaned his back against the chair. "We just can't learn, can we?" He hollered. They quickly headed out, Goku carrying Chichi, and flew the short distance to Bulma's house.


	32. Chapter 32

Trunks stepped off of his private jet surrounded by several body guards. He thought it was quite hilarious that his mother insisted on the guards, but he knew it was more about protecting the company's international image than her half-saiyan super son. He stepped onto the tarmac and looked towards the airport. A girl with long, blonde hair and a pink coat stood just outside of the private entrance door. Trunks' heart skipped a beat. He was so relieved that she actually came. She did love him after all. He ran forward, knocking down two of the men in black suits, towards the pink goddess up ahead. "Sorry!" He called as he kicked off of the ground and zoomed forward. The cold, December air in New York City slapped across his face and took his breath away. "Marron!" He called out just before he reached her in a white ball of ki energy.

He stopped and hit the ground running, grabbing her up into his arms like a child and spinning her around. "I was so afraid that you wouldn't come…I'm so happy to see you…" He said as he buried his tan face into her angel soft hair. "I can't believe that you're here! After what I said when I left…I'm so sorry…" He lifted up his head and placed a cold finger on her warm lips, "Stop apologizing. I love you!" Marron's eyes widened and her heart began to beat like a racing cheetah, "I…I love you, too!" Trunks lifted her up and spun her around again, kissing her and laughing. He was so unbelievably happy that his life was finally looking up that he didn't notice all of the guards, the pilots, and several other people staring at them.

"Uh… …I believe we need to get you straight to an event…" Trunks gasped, "That's right! Will you be my date to a fancy-schmancy party?" Marron laughed, "Wearing this?" Trunks held out his hand to one of the guards. "I prepared for the possibility of you meeting me here." The man handed him a small suitcase with a purple ribbon on the top. "This is for you. I hope you remember the first time you wore it." Marron's eyes sparkled with excitement. She took the suitcase hastily out of the man's arms and unzipped just the top to peek inside. "Trunks! It's the dress you bought for me! How did you…" Trunks shrugged, looking up innocently. Marron jumped forward and hugged him again, smiling a bright and happy smile.

The guards began to rush the two as they entered the private door to the airport. Marron held onto Trunks' arm tightly, afraid she'd fall from the pushing and shoving of Trunks' entourage. "I have to warn you, Mare…this might be a little embarrassing for you." Marron looked up, "Why?" The doors from the VIP suite opened and cameras galore ambushed them, screaming and flashing lights like they were super stars. " ! !" The paparazzi called as he smoothly made his way through the crowd. "Oh, my God! So this is why you have body guards!" Trunks laughed, "You could say that." Marron looked around at the excited and desperate faces. "Miss! Miss! Are you the new girlfriend?" Marron blushed scarlet. "This is the girlfriend! Get her picture!" A large man with an even larger camera called out to the others. The flock of people swarmed the area around them, so much so that they couldn't move any further. "Okay…I'll deal with this." Trunks said calmly. Marron was quite terrified at the attention.

"Okay, I'll answer three questions. Then you have to let us through to a very important meeting!" The cameras zoomed towards Trunks and hands went flying in the air, waving pencils, pens and other writing utensils everywhere. " , is it true that you will be starring in an upcoming film?" Trunks laughed, "No. I was certainly offered the contract, but I've got more pressing matters to attend to." He looked down at Marron and pulled her close to his side, sending her into embarrassment oblivion. The crowd surged again at his gesture and he chose the second flailing hand. "Sir, is this you girlfriend? Did she travel here with you?" Trunks looked down at Marron for approval and got a blank look of horror, but no one of denial. "Yes. This is my girlfriend and she's traveled here with me." Marron swallowed hard. "Let's make the last question a quick one…" Trunks called on a third person, who came to the front of the crowd and smiled devilishly, "Is it true that your company is in the market for mergers to gain power over the American stock market and consume smaller companies for your own profit?" The crowd gasped loudly and the body guards instantly took to their ear pieces, whispering directions and looking around wildly. Trunks took a step forward with a completely serious look on his face. "This is not correct information and how dare you try to make the good people viewing this feel as though our company doesn't have the best intentions." He looked around at the people, squinting slightly as though he was disgusted with their behavior. "It's this type of information that pollutes the mind and breeds fear and distrust. We at Capsule Corp are always looking out for the people and always trying to bring ease to your way of life. Have a fantastic day!" He turned on his heel and waved goodbye. The crowd instantly burst into life and followed, but the guards held them back, allowing Trunks to slip into a private elevator and head to his car.

"That was horrifying!" Marron said. She was pale and looked as though she'd seen a ghost. "Will I be on TV? Will my mom see that? Since when did you become so famous?" She asked in a flurry of panic. Trunks laughed, "My mother usually handles this stuff so I ended up becoming this mysterious businessman that everyone wanted to know. They say that I remind people of the guy in that book…the fifty shades book?" Marron blushed scarlet again, "Oh so you've read it?" He asked with a smirk. Marron smacked his shoulder and buried her face in his sleeve.

That evening, Marron attended the most lavish party she'd even seen with her own eyes. Everything from the wine to the food to the venue was completely garnished in the most expensive of materials. The ballroom was large with a huge vaulted ceiling. The lights pointed upwards to create a splendid effect on the ceiling. The music was polite and elegant, with a string quartet playing away with Mozart and Bach. Women shuffled about in fancy dresses covered with sequins and sparkles. Heels clacked on the shiny, wooden floor at every turn and men were chatting away about business. She felt quite out of her element, but was certainly dressed the part in her purple dress from Trunks. She liked to think that he enjoyed her in it so much because purple was his favorite color. His hair and how well he kept it was a huge indicator of that.

They danced the night away soon after the business talks were finished. Trunks swung her across the dancefloor and smiled wider than she'd ever seen. He picked her up and twirled her, dipped her and spun her. His dance moves were unrivaled by the competition, clearly due to his upbringing in this environment. His jet black tuxedo and silver bow tie was fit for a royal wedding, causing the ladies to swarm and swoon as he danced. Swiftly flitting along the floor, they looked like a black and purple whirl of color and sparkles.

From that night on, Trunks vowed to stay in America with her for as long as he could. He would work from there, live there, and do anything that she needed him to do. He was so drunk and in love with the very idea of her that Marron had no issues getting him to take her along on all of his various trips across the states. They went to Los Angeles, San Fransisco, Las Vegas, Dallas, Atlanta and finally back up to Chicago and then New York. His business appeared to be booming in America. However, Marron suspected that the statement made by the reporter on that first day in the airport wasn't far from the truth. It seemed as though Trunks was making more money than ever with a growing ego to match.

One night, a loud ring woke Trunks from a deep sleep and brought him straight up from his warm pillow. He looked around, dazed and confused from a night of drinking and partying on the town but ignored the phone. His hotel room was dimly lit from the small opening in the curtains that hung over a large window making it hard to see much. He admired the moonlight that beamed into the window and onto the plush carpet that lined the expensive suite for a moment through squinted, tired eyes. When his cellphone stopped ringing, Trunks groaned and rolled out of bed. He'd been startled so that he was now wide awake.

He slipped on the complimentary overstuffed slippers and covered his muscular build with the silk robe that had been thrown in a mashed up pile on the floor. He dragged his feet over to the window and stood there, staring out at the bustling city. The small digital clock on the table glowed a bright four AM. Nothing ever sleeps in New York City, he thought. He pressed his forehead against the window, thinking about his life in Japan and how he never wanted to go back. This place was heaven. Though he missed his friends and his family, the job was certainly easier and more profitable from afar. He had enough money to continue hotel-hopping for as long as he wanted. Perhaps he could even stay in America.

As he day dreamed about his perfect life, a face entered into his head. This was the first time he'd thought about her since he arrived. He'd been so perfectly happy getting all the attention in the world from Marron that her little episode was temporarily erased from his mind. He sat in a fancy, brass armchair with antique fabric next to the window and placed a hand onto his forehead.

Why did she have to kiss him before he left? It wasn't even a real kiss, just a peck on the cheek. It was cute, innocent and certainly not meant to stir any feelings. Or was it? Trunks was confused and felt awful to even consider the fact that a teenager was after him romantically. It had to be just a crush. Trunks felt a pull in his chest like he needed to see her again and demand an explanation, but his life seemed to have changed so much in the past few weeks. He had new priorities and new goals. Was it so wrong that she had feelings for him? They'd grown up together. It didn't seem like such a big age gap. He was truly surprised to hear that she was only fifteen when he helped her with her homework. That night was certainly the most fun he'd had in a long time, even if it was just writing a report about his company.

Unwillingly, Trunks got up from the chair and began to search around for his clothes. The alarm on his phone was a reminder to wake up for the video conference meeting with Japan. It was an important one at that. The partnership with America was a long time coming, but his mother never quite had the patience to deal with American vendors and corporate douchebags. Trunks on the other hand could be quite intimidating when he wanted to be. He chocked that all up to his father's royal attitude. The company was poised to absorb seven American companies and their stocks as well.

"Trunks?" A sleepy voice said with a yawn, "What are you doing? It's four in the morning…" Trunks sighed, "I know, honey. I have a meeting to go to. I'll just be right out here, it's a video conference with Japan." Trunks found his best suit jacket in the closet and threw it over a random shirt he'd plucked from a pile on the floor. His favorite black tie hung on top of the jacket and with little effort was tied and ready in an instant. He checked his hair in the full length closet mirror, pushing it around and running his fingers through it. He figured since the video was only chest up that pants were not necessary. He stood there in his boxers, posing and thinking about his approach to these particular executives when he heard her soft footsteps approaching him.

"I'm sorry that I woke you up…" He said, looking down at his tie and straightening it. "It's okay…just kiss me." She said. He turned his head and smiled at Marron, who was standing in the doorway with a hot pink, silk robe tied loosely shut at the waist. "It's been a while since you've done anything work related…" Marron slinked forward and put her arms around Trunks' neck. He peered up and read four fifteen on the clock. "I've got fifteen minutes…?" Marron smirked and tackled him to the ground.

Right on time, Trunks slammed his laptop down and turned on the webcam, ready to present his case to the board of execs back home. He ran his fingers through his silky purple hair again and straightened his tie, but figured that he'd look somewhat less put together than he would have before his closet romp just minutes earlier anyways. Some kind of corporate president he was, thought a very preoccupied Trunks.

At four thirty sharp, the video popped on to display a table with seven men seated in suits and ties. They seemed tired and weary, not sure of the position Trunks was about to put them company into. He greeted them cheerfully and dived into his presentation. The power point he'd prepared on his computer moved along smoothly, with his words as convincing as ever. When he'd finished, one man seemed unfazed by the lengthy explanation.

"So…you've been in a foreign country for six weeks with nothing to show but all of this? You'll anger our sponsors in Europe. They don't want a bunch of American companies dropping them when they find out that we've scooped up a huge portion of their business!" The man stood in anger and waved his hands around emotionally. The other men around the table began to agree and Trunks felt the group leaning towards the animated man.

"What is your name sir?" Trunks asked politely. "I am Nobu Hitake. I am your second in command, sir…" Trunks rolled his eyes, "Yes, yes…I knew that…Listen , I'm not prepared to come back to Japan yet. However, I think you're mistaken about what I'm accomplishing here…" The men began to speak amongst themselves and Nobu frowned angrily. "You need to get back here or I'm getting rid of your useless assistant!" Trunks cleared his throat. "You are in no position to fire nor to judge my personal assistant." Nobu smiled, "Oh but I am. You are not all powerful. You're just like your mother!" Trunks stood up with the laptop in hand, "I am the president of Capsule Corp! If you don't like it, go work for another corporation, but I guarantee you that I'll just buy it and fire you all over again!" The men became silent, fearing for their own jobs, but Nobu stayed standing and leaned forward towards the camera. "Fine, I'll rest my case regarding the company…but if you're not back here to do your job in two days…I'm firing half of your useless staff, including your bone-headed brother-in-law!" The camera cut off and Trunks stood there dumbfounded.

Marron came around the corner and sighed. "Trunks…I think you should go back." He looked up to protest but she held out a hand, "I mean to check on everything. Bra's pregnant…this is happening…go back and take care of it. I'll be fine." Trunks smiled. "Will you come with me?" Marron frowned, "I…uh…well…" Trunks motioned for her to approach him. "Please...?" His blue eyes burned into her soul. "Yeah, yeah…okay…" Marron gave into him and hugged him tightly around the waist.

The next morning, Trunks sat anxiously on his private jet. He knew that he had to go home, but he was having such a fantastic time with Marron that it seemed a real shame to leave this new life. He checked his watch and decided that for the next thirteen hours he would try to get as much sleep as possible. Marron hadn't been letting him sleep all that much lately, thought that wasn't a bad thing in his mind.

Next to him, Marron curled up with a book and sat quietly listening to her music with earbuds. He had no idea what everyone was up to as it only had just occurred to him that he hadn't called anyone but his mother in the six week adventure. Clearly some of his friends, namely Goten, would probably be a little more than peeved at his lack of communication skills. He rolled to his side and fell asleep instantly, dreaming again of the interaction he'd had with Pan. He couldn't seem to shake some weird feeling that something was wrong with her back home.


	33. Chapter 33

"I'm here!" Trunks called as he stepped over the threshold of his parents' home. He felt uneasy in the cold, quiet house. All of the lights were out aside from the kitchen light, which meant Vegeta must be getting some food. He only ventured into the kitchen for snacks in between training sessions when everyone else was in another part of the house. In the silence, Trunks dragged his oversized suitcase in with Marron's and set them loudly on the floor. "Would you keep it down out there!" A surly voice called from the kitchen. Trunks startled from the sound, "Sorry, dad!" He pushed the suitcases out of the way and headed in to greet Vegeta.

His father was sitting at the island on a large, black barstool and reading something on a tablet. He shoveled cereal into his mouth as he tried to focus on the tiny letters dancing across the bright screen. Trunks moved closer carefully, knowing that his father wasn't one for small talk, especially when he was reading fitness articles. "Dad…" Trunks said nervously. Vegeta sighed and put down his bowl. He turned to Trunks angrily and yelled, "What is so important that you have to interrupt me?" Trunks instantly started laughing. Vegeta blushed bright red and tore the thick, black reading glasses from his face. "So…age catching up to you, dad?" Vegeta scowled, "Your mother wouldn't shut up about it! I don't need them!" Trunks rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah…okay, dad. Hey, where is everyone?" Vegeta smiled, "Oh…it's quite the story. Do you have time to hear it before you run off with that woman again?" Trunks blushed and turned around to see Marron peeking around the corner, frozen in place. "I can't believe that you wasted so much time in a foreign country on 'business' when you could have been training…so unmotivated…" Vegeta began to mumble angrily as he shoved his glasses back into a little black pouch. Trunks pulled up a bar stool and sat next to his father happily, motioning for Marron to join them. Vegeta watched the blonde bombshell enter the room with an angry frown on his face. Trunks knew that Vegeta never liked Marron. He also knew that the only reason was the hatred that he continued to harbor for her mother. The only woman ever to show up the great Prince of all Saiyans was android 18. In her prime, her skills rivaled the saiyans to a degree that at the time was thought completely impossible. Had she not joined the good side, Trunks was fairly certain Vegeta would have killed her after the Cell games. He was still nervous about his father's hostility towards 18 even now, after all that happened with Krillin.

Marron leaned on Trunks and clung to his arm like a child to her mother, causing Vegeta to roll his eyes in annoyance. "Well dad…are you going to tell me where everyone is or what?" Vegeta sighed. He got up and placed his bowl in the sink before returned to the barstool and gathering his thoughts. His muscles had gotten so big that even sitting caused some problems with the human clothes. He didn't wear his saiyan armor anymore, but Bulma certainly had to custom order his clothes. She always enjoyed calling her husband the shortest bodybuilder on the planet. Vegeta refused to wear anything baggy for fear of dressing like Goku, so his pants were super short and his shirts were shaped to his massive chest. He crossed his arms and made his biceps appear even larger, which made Marron nervous. She let go of Trunks' sweater and found a seat in a third barstool.

"We've had a bit of excitement around here. You see, my brother is apparently twice as intelligent as your mother." Vegeta smiled at the thought of Bulma being one-upped by his saiyan blood. Trunks nearly fell out of his seat, "What do you mean? Uncle Tarble is smart?" Vegeta scoffed, "Did you think anything less of my royal blood? He could not fight, so he trained his brain instead. Some saiyans actually have motivation to do productive activities." Trunks leaned forward, "So…get to the point!" He was becoming annoyed with his father's constant attitude.

"The little brat, Gohan's girl…" Trunks cut him off, "Pan? What happened to Pan?" Vegeta slammed his hand on the table, "Would you stop interrupting me?" Trunks recoiled, "Sorry…" He cleared his throat and continued, "She befriended Tarble. Apparently his small stature and pleasantries coaxed her into helping him with his training. They decided to break into your mother's lab and reprogram the hyperbolic time chamber." Trunks' eyes widened, "Wh-what…" Vegeta shrugged, "It's quite stupid." Trunks hopped up out of the chair, "How long have they been inside?" Vegeta smiled, "They've been stuck for five days now. That Kakarott and his boys have been here non-stop." Trunks hopped out of the barstool and ran out of the kitchen, leaving Marron sitting alone with Vegeta.

"Please leave. I'd like to continue my reading." Marron cleared her throat and slinked off of the tall chair. She turned to leave, but Vegeta spoke again. "Marron." She turned, realizing that he'd never addressed her by her name before. "I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish by creating an illusion that you actually care about my son." Marron's eyes widened as he continued, "You have a decision to make. If you hurt Trunks…" Marron tried to speak in her defense, but her words failed her. Vegeta blushed slightly and returned to his tablet suddenly. "Get out of my sight." He said sternly. Marron turned and rushed away, but felt confused by his comment. Perhaps he was on to her, she thought. Maybe coming back with Trunks wasn't a good idea after all.

Meanwhile, Trunks had run down the basement stairs at full speed. He burst into the lab and nearly the entire room hollered in surprise. "Hi…dad told me what happened…" He paused to look around at the faces in the room. Goku and Chichi sat comforting Videl and Gohan, who'd clearly been worried sick about their teenager being locked in a chamber for what appeared to five years of her life. Trunks watched the clock outside of the room for a moment, not sure if it was counting down or up. The clock seemed to be reading digital numbers, but the numbers were askew and not complete. Something was clearly done to alter the function of the chamber. His eyes traveled to the other side of the room, but everything went black.

Before he knew it, he was on the ground and felt the sting of being punched in the face. He opened his eyes and wailed, "Ow! What the hell?" He rubbed his nose and opened his eyes to see Goten standing over him. "I almost lost my job because your ass was gone! You didn't call, you didn't text…nothing! Now you show up and just bust in here like you're going to save the day?" Bra stood by his side with her arms crossed. Her belly was huge, protruding out of her small frame. "I'm so sorry, Goten…" Trunks said, but Goten huffed in anger back to his seat near Bulma, who was deep into a large book searching line by line. "I just can't find an override. I have no idea what Tarble did to this machine…it was not supposed to be used to aged training! I was trying to create the opposite!" Marron entered the room and gasped, "Trunks!" She began helping him up, but Goten made an exasperated noise and stomped back to the door. "Are you serious? Her again? This is where you've been?" Goten's voice was beginning to show true anger at his best friend. Trunks got up and shrugged Marron off of his shoulder, "I've been on business. She lives in New York now…she wanted to visit." Goten could tell that Trunks was lying through his teeth. Bra held her same pose, but her eyes burned into Marron, flashing between blue and pearly purple. "What…is with your eyes?" Bulma looked up in fear, "Goten…calm down. Take Bra upstairs and give her the medication, please." Goten let out a large sight and coaxed Bra past Marron. She was clearly extremely displeased that Marron had a hold over her brother again, knowing that Trunks was devastated when she left.

When Goten and Bra closed the door up the stairs, a crack from the chamber door startled the quiet room. A vibration shook the ground lightly, but enough to be felt. Bulma rushed to the door, checking the clock and putting a finger on the crack in the door. "I think it's done…I think it's going to open!" Videl stood up, but Gohan pulled her to his lap. "We don't know what's going to come out of there…" Trunks made a strange face at Gohan. "This chamber is different. It generates different terrains that mimic real life. There are animals…all kinds of things that could come through this door if they aren't near and ready to come out." Bulma explained nervously. Trunks shook his head, "What the hell would you build this for?" Bulma placed her hands on her curvy hips, "I was only building what your father asked for! It imitates all of the original surface activity of planet Vegeta!" Trunks worried for Pan. She wasn't even a super saiyan, let alone used to training in ten times that of Earth's gravity at all times. Marron could see that Trunks was having some sort of internal struggle and moved to comfort him. "Don't…touch me…right now." He said as he swiped away her hand. Marron became extremely irritated and sat on the floor by the door, eager to leave.

The door cracked again, but this time, a light shined through it. Gohan jumped to his feet, "Get away from the door!" He grabbed Chichi and Videl and flew to the opposite site of the lab, while Trunks grabbed Bulma and shielded Marron. Goku knew what was about to happen and stood ready to receive and deflect the energy blast. Within seconds, they heard the words. "Ka...Me…Ha…Me…." Goku held up his hands and readied himself, "Ha!" A blast of white light blew the door into pieces and shot into the lab. Goku caught the energy and used his instant transmission to deflect it into the sky outside, saving the entire house from certain destruction. As the light cleared, a tattered hand appeared in the doorway. Videl struggled away from Gohan and ran near the door, "Pan?"

A woman in shredded clothing and long, golden hair stood before them. Her face was thin, sinking in at her cheeks. Her blue eyes glowed above the shadows that decorated her cheeks. She was lean and built, angry, but still very much the Pan that they could recognize. "Mom…" Her voice was lower and sounded harsh. She'd clearly reached an ascended super saiyan form. Videl ran forward and hugged her daughter, who transformed back into a normal form. Her spikey hair dropped into flowing, black locks that hung to her knees. She held onto her mother and soon Chichi and Gohan, as well. Goku appeared before them again after ridding them of Pan's ki blast and threw his arms around them all. "My Pan is back!" He exclaimed. Bulma smiled briefly at Pan, but looked back at the doorway, searching the green jungle before them from afar. "Pan…where is he…" Pan turned to Bulma with a strong, cold look on her face. "Who?" Trunks felt a cold chill run down his spine. Vegeta and Goten were now at the doorway, listening and watching. "Where the hell is Tarble?" Vegeta exclaimed at the saiyan woman before him. Pan shrugged, "I never saw him after we entered the room. It was like we were torn into two dimensions. I haven't seen another soul in five years." Videl and Chichi burst into tears and hugged Pan even tighter.

Vegeta looked as though he'd been stabbed by his closest friend. His face fell and his skin turned pale. He looked ahead into the room, seeing the striking resemblance to the planet he once called home. "Tarble…is he dead?" He looked at Bulma for answers, who looked just as confused. Trunks placed a hand on his father's shoulder, but Vegeta shook him off and walked forward. "You can't go inside, Vegeta! He has to come out!" Bulma pleaded. Vegeta stomped a foot and called out into the doorway, "Tarble! Get your ass out here!" He began to panic, searching through the trees and vines, straining to see some sign of life. "Tarble!" Vegeta howled angrily. Just as they began to give up hope, a rustle in the jungle caught their attention. Pan turned, clearly not recognizing the sound. "I haven't heard…footsteps like that in a long time." Vegeta turned to her in confusion. "Footsteps?" Videl asked, looking into the jungle. "Everyone…don't…move…" Pan whispered. They continued watching into the unknown world as a large dinosaur-looking monster materialized through the trees. Vegeta gasped in horror, recognizing the beast from his time on planet Vegeta as a small child. The animal didn't seem aware of the portal to another world until a loud scream from afar sounded across the sky.

A short young man with a Vegeta-esque flew full speed ahead at the beast and blasted it backwards. "I'm coming!" He called as the animal rose and took chase. "Vegeta! When he comes out, blast the portal!" Vegeta took aim, calling for Tarble to fly faster. He broke the barrier of the portal in just enough time as Vegeta sent his signature Galick Gun into the portal, destroying the doorway in the process and shutting down the entire machine. The world seemed to go black inside and began to crumble away.

"Thanks, bro!" An approximately twenty year old Tarble said, rubbing his head on the floor. Vegeta turned and grabbed Tarble by his torn and burned shirt. "You idiot! Do you have any idea what you could have done? You blasted idiot!" Tarble laughed, "I am a genius. I would have liked to have had another year in there…" Vegeta dropped him on the ground and yelled angrily. Pan turned to Tarble and smiled, "You made it out! I thought you were dead!" Tarble smiled, "I'm alive…we're…it worked!" They ran and embraced, bouncing up and down happily like the oldest of friends reunited. Trunks scrunched his face up in confusion, "Pan…you don't even know him…" Pan turned to Trunks, ready to embrace him as well, but then she saw her. "Marron…" Pan said with disdain. Tarble frowned at the sight of them as well. "I'm…glad to see you, too?" Marron said softly. Pan frowned at Trunks and turned to Tarble. She stared at him longingly before pushing Trunks out of the way and storming up the stairs. Tarble stood awkwardly, as scrawny as ever, and looked around. "So…who's up for some serious story time?" The entire room continued to stay silent in shock. Vegeta powered up and growled, "You idiot!" Tarble shot up the stairs away from Vegeta, but the chase was on. Trunks couldn't believe his eyes. This was not what he expected to come home to after six weeks of lustful bliss.


	34. The Triangle Becomes a Rectangle

That night, the Capsule Corp household was sullen and filled with mixed emotions. Bulma and Chichi cooked a meal fit for royalty, at Vegeta and Goku's requests of course. Despite the grim situation, Goku was thrilled to have his niece back. He sat across from her and grilled her about her training through the entire meal. Pan answered every question excitedly. She showed absolutely no sign of anger or sadness at her situation. It was the teenage dream; Waking up a fifteen year old in school with no end in sight and five days later becoming a twenty year old super saiyan. She beamed brightly, telling tales of the chamber. She spoke of living amongst the trees in the dense jungle, climbing mountains, and running from strange creatures before being eaten alive. Tarble corroborated her adventures and agreed that he experienced similar things in his separate dimension. Luckily, he already knew the layout of planet Vegeta and made even more of his time there than Pan did.

Bulma sat with a distant frown on her face through their constant ramblings. Tarble turned to look at her with his mouth full of food and asked, "What's the matter, sis?" Bulma cringed at the idea of her brother-in-law now resembling a teenager. She had never felt so old in her life. Even the idea of being a grandmother wasn't as bad as staring into the eyes of a teenage Vegeta look-a-like. "I just don't get it, Tarble." She breathed flatly. Tarble smiled back warmly, "You want to know how I did it?" Bulma perked up and leaned forward anxiously. "You…you would share that?" Bulma's tone went from despairing to hopeful in an instant. Vegeta took a sip of Bulma's expensive sake and cleared his throat, "I think she is more interested in setting the clock on her age a few years back…" Bulma slapped his arm, but the table erupted in laughter. Bulma sulked against the back of her chair, but Vegeta apologized with a small nuzzle against her neck, a smile spread wide across his face. Bulma sighed and leaned her head on Vegeta's, "I'm not saying that it wouldn't be fantastic to be younger again, but I really do want to know what you did. I've spent months trying to configure the chamber to stop aging. It was supposed to provide training with no age effect." Tarble swallowed his food and interlaced his fingers on top of the solid oak table. His saiyan customs and royal gestures were still intact after all of this time away from people. Everyone stared at him and dangled in suspense as he appeared to prepare his answer. "My father sent me away when I was young…I was shown to be scrawny and weak compared to the other infants, instantly classifying me as a lower class saiyan. Vegeta was born with so much potential that I seemed like an abomination to the King and Queen. Instead of forcing me to work amongst the peasants, or other lower class saiyans, my father sent me away to another planet full of weak people in the hopes that I could still conquer a world for myself. What my parents failed to see was my intellect. On my new planet, I was adopted by a couple that raised me to be extraordinary and in the complete absence of violence. I have manners, decency…everything because of them." Vegeta's eyes grew wary as Tarble continued about his adoptive parents. Goku seemed to have a similar experience, the only difference being his Grandpa Gohan wasn't that brightest crayon in the box. Vegeta was certainly not ashamed of his royal heritage and very proud to have been raised on such barbaric standards, however the life that Tarble had was just as rewarding as Goku's. Vegeta looked across the table at the other people seated nearby and caught Goten's eyes. Goten looked positively bored and unenthused by Tarble's story. For some reason, Vegeta knew instantly that this was because it was another hero story like Goten's father's. He felt sorry for Goten for a moment, but then his thoughts began to travel to Trunks, who was seated next to him. If someone asked the boys if they grew up with purpose and dignity, would they say yes? He was almost certain that Goten would not, but he had no idea how Trunks felt towards him. Lost in thought, he checked out of the conversation and got up from the table with an awkward glance towards the desserts lined on the counter in the kitchen.

Most everyone at the table completely disregarded his friendly gesture to bring desserts to the table and just enjoyed not having to leave the intense adventure story. Everyone but Goten, that is. Goten stood and said, "I'll help…" Bra looked up at him with a confused look, but shrugged and returned to the action like everyone else.

Goten entered the kitchen that was separated by only a small, half-wall from the dining area. Vegeta was opening a tub of ice cream when he entered. "I think I understand what that look was for earlier…" Vegeta frowned and ignored him. "Look…I know that you hate me because of my father. I'm trying really hard to prove that I am not him. I love your daughter." Vegeta crammed the ice cream scoop into the tub and looked up at Goten with a classic, angry saiyan face. "I don't care what your intentions are, boy." He returned to scooping and plopping the ice cream on small, yellow plates. Goten continued warily, "I mean…I don't know why I feel the need to ask you this now, but it could be my only chance to speak to you away from the family…" Vegeta looked uncomfortable at the situation, "Speak." He said frustrated and bothered, both with the ice cream and with Goten. "I want to marry Bra. I wanted to ask for your permission before I ask her. I know I'm not really that familiar with saiyan customs, but here it is pretty important to have the blessing of the father before you propose to a girl…" He stood innocently with a goofy, Goku-esque smile on his face before Vegeta. Vegeta felt a sudden urge to punch Goten, but he knew that this was in fact an Earthly emotion to feel so conflicted. Her pregnancy didn't bother him as much because it meant the continuation of saiyan blood on Earth. It was also customary for Saiyans to only find a mate for breeding purposes, so in his mind, Goten served that purpose.

Over the years, Vegeta had fallen so deeply in love with Bulma that he no longer knew who he was. He wasn't the saiyan warrior that first came to Earth to destroy and kill. He definitely wasn't Majin Vegeta, possessed by anger and power. He was just a dad about to become a grandfather. He was a father to a beautiful daughter and incredibly intelligent son. He felt pride welling up inside of him that was different from the pride after winning a battle or winning his own life. Marriage was something that he wanted for his children because of Bulma. She'd shown him that life was worth so much more when you share it with your soul mate. Was Goten Bra's soulmate? He had to know. "Goten…I understand that I may make you…uncomfortable by asking you this question." Goten relaxed after the extended silence. Vegeta set down the scoop and turned towards Goten, "Did you…bite my daughter…when you…you know…" Goten's entire body seemed to turn blood red in embarrassment, but Vegeta's face was unchanged by the anxiety of such a personal question. "I…I…well…yeah?..." Goten began to fidget, but Vegeta sighed and smiled, "Did she bite you as well?" Goten felt more uncomfortable than he'd ever felt in his life. He answered, "Yeah but…it wasn't weird or anything…we…I didn't mean to!" Vegeta took a step forward and placed a hand on Goten's arm. Goten wondered if he meant to place it on his shoulder but couldn't reach. Goten was 6'8" after all. "I consider you my son, then. That is a sign that a saiyan was lucky to have experienced…your grandfather, Bardock…he told Raditz, your uncle, about it one night and Raditz told me. A saiyan will mark their soulmate so that no other saiyan can ever mate with them. I know that it seems strange to you, but it is one of the highest honors for our people." Goten looked down at the small, disgruntled saiyan with a completely confused expression. "So that means…we're like…meant to be together or something?" Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Yes, Goten…that is what I mean. Now go and do whatever it is that you do to propose." Goten panicked, "Right now?" Vegeta looked surprised, "Why would you waste my time if you weren't planning on taking care of this now?" Goten swallowed hard, "Okay…I have it…I'll…I'll do it." He began slicing a pie and putting each slice on the little yellow plates with ice cream for Vegeta to bring out to the guests.

Back in the dining room, Tarble took a sip of sake and continued, "I was part of an elite experimental science group that pioneered a new type of space technology. It wouldn't make much sense to those of you who have only lived on Earth, but it is quite remarkable. In any case, that technology was transferrable to the contraption down there that you call a hyperbolic time chamber." Bulma's jaw dropped. She began spouting off questions like crazy, but was interrupted when Vegeta sat down and patted her on the leg. She looked at him and then realized that Goten was standing behind Bra nervously.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" The table fell silent and stared at him. He looked at his father and mother, who looked happy as ever seated next to each other. Videl and Gohan were sitting with Pan, arms around her and happy to have her back. His whole life he'd been surrounded by families that love each other, even if Goku was off being a hero for the majority of it. He was grateful that even with Goku's strange tendencies and heroic antics that his mother continued to love him no matter what. "I have an announcement. I want to apologize to my family for being so angry for so many years. I am really and truly grateful to have you all in my life. You've shown me that no matter what, a family sticks together." Chichi smiled and leaned her head back on Goku, who gave Goten a thumbs up. "I want to also thank the other family here…the one's who have constantly supported us and given us a lasting friendship that we couldn't live without now. I think it's only fitting that our families become one…" He kneeled down in front of Bra, "I know that some of you may think that I'm only doing this because we have a little girl on the way…but it's so much more than that. Thanks to Vegeta, I understand now…you are the only woman that I will ever love. I am completely and soley devoted to you from this day forward." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a hot pink, velvet box. "I thought you'd like the color…" He said quickly when Bra's eyes sparkled with excitement. He popped the box open to reveal a diamond ring fit for a queen. In the center, a large diamond shined brightly against the florescent kitchen lights. The center diamond was surrounded by several smaller diamonds that cascaded in a spiral to the base of the ring. Bra's eyes filled with tears, as did all of the other women in the room. "Will you marry me?" Goten asked sincerely from his perch on one knee. "Yes!" Bra hollered instantly, leaning forward with her huge, pregnant belly and grabbing his neck for a hug.

The table erupted with applause and shouts of happiness. Goten picked her up and swung her around gently, holding her close and kissing her hair. It seemed that everyone was overjoyed. Everyone but the small, blonde girl sitting beside Trunks. Marron's face was something different. It was full of hate and despair. She got up from the table and whispered to Trunks, "My mom is calling…I'm gonna go talk to her in another room. Tell Bra that I said congrats." Marron turned and snuck away from the festivities. Trunks knew then that this dream life he'd been living, thinking that Marron was actually over Goten and wanted him alone, was a complete lie.

After a happy dessert and several drinks, Trunks sauntered outside and sat in the grass of their front lawn. He left Marron inside to chat with Chichi after she rejoined the party, hoping for some silence from an insane night and from the negative feelings he was harboring for her at the moment. He dropped backwards onto the ground and felt the cool grass tickle his face. The sky above was black and filled with sparkling stars. Trunks wondered how large the universe actually was if there is a place floating about with as much technology as Tarble says. Too bad Trunks didn't get the instant genius gene that Bulma seemed to carry from her father. His thoughts trailed off to Goten again. He supposed that Goten would be able to adapt to such intelligence, just like he always had. Trunks felt like he'd never get any smarter. The knowledge that he'd accumulated in college and through his professional career was the extent of it all. Goten's expression when Trunks entered the basement tormented him, tearing at his moral compass. He should never have deserted his best friend for his best friend's ex, but when he spoke to Marron on the phone that night it all changed. After he confessed his love and made his case, offering to fly to America to be with Marron, she took him back because she loved him the entire time…right? His head began to spin. Why did she act that way when Goten proposed to Bra? Did she really think that with the baby on the way that they wouldn't get engaged? He extremely sad in that moment, realizing that he'd ignored his entire family and all of his friends for a woman that was playing him. Then it hit him.

Her glowing, happy face danced through his mind like an old movie projector portraying a happy family scene in black and white. He felt sad inside knowing that her life had just been shortened by five entire years. The best years in his opinion where now lost from her grasp. She would never experience the joys and torment of the latter teen years. Just then, he was startled from thought by a power level he hadn't felt before approaching him.

He jolted upwards drunkenly, worried that it could be a new enemy ready to sully his day further, but instead a black-haired woman stood before him. She swung her long, wild hair behind her back and placed one hand on her hip with confidence. He felt his already pink cheeks heat up as he looked upon her beauty. She'd changed so much. Her resemblance to Chichi was striking, but her eyes were that of a true saiyan warrior. Her skin was a pale white, clashing against her midnight hair that shined under the light of a streetlamp near the edge of the green yard. Her borrowed from Bra clothing clung to her bountiful chest, but he tried not to look there. He wasn't ready to see her as the adult that she so clearly had become.

"Trunks…" Her sweet voice rang out and shattered his sense of security. It was like the most beautiful bell, tolling for him and only him. He melted into the idea of her, welcoming her to sit beside him and giving in to the nervous but delicious feeling of being near one that you cared for deeply. What was coming over him, he thought. Clearly he'd been drinking too much.

"I missed you so much." She started confidently. He could see that her personality hadn't changed. "I missed you, too…" He answered unsure, afraid that he would sound weird for saying such a thing. He barely spoke to her before he left, let alone his complete absence for months without a word.

"Why did you do this to yourself?" Trunks asked abruptly, before the tense silence filling the air between them became too great.

Pan smiled and blushed, but held her eye contact. "I did this…for you."

Trunks cleared his throat and swayed a bit, beginning to feel the full effect of the strong sake he'd been enjoying all night. "What?" He couldn't understand what she could possibly mean by that. "I am not stupid, Trunks. I kissed you because I knew what I wanted. I had to be sure that my heart wasn't just telling me lies. After that day…I started training with Tarble. We became really good friends and he made me realize that I wasn't living for myself if I let you go." Trunks' mouth hung open as she spoke. Was she seriously this hung up on him? He couldn't believe his ears. And that's why she hugged Tarble like the best of friends reunited?

"So when he said he knew a way to make me older…I took the chance." Trunks placed a hand over his mouth, still in shock from her honesty. "I had no idea that you'd be back with her after what she put you through, Trunks. What are you thinking?" He tried to answer but he felt too overwhelmed to speak. "In any case, I'm old enough now. I want to make you happy." Trunks started laughing awkwardly and held up a hand for her to stop talking. "Pan…I…how do you expect me to just accept this? I grew up with you! You're…you're ten years younger than me!" She interrupted instantly, "I'm five years closer to you now." Trunks began to stand up but wobbled dangerously, "Wait!" Pan pulled him back down to ground with force. "Please give me a chance…" Trunks looked outraged, "A chance to what, Pan? I'm with Marron now and I love her. I'm not just a guy that you can be with because you want to prove to everyone that you're not a kid. You're a kid and you always will be in my eyes. Stop this madness!" What was he saying, he thought. He knew that Marron was using him again, probably for money, but he did love her. He never thought of Pan as anything more than a kid. Or did he? This was all so confusing.

Pan's eyes welled up with tears. He wanted to shove his foot in his mouth, but this is how it always went for him. Women confessed their love and he pushed them away. When he finally got tired of being rejected, he did something about it and now he had Marron. Why is it that now that when a girl who was ready to give years of her life for him confessed, he reacted like his father to an easy battle that he felt was below him? He was cold and cruel on the outside to protect what was broken and battered on the inside. His love was not a toy. It wasn't the time to experiment with something this stressful and this dramatic.

Pan stood with confidence and looked down at Trunks, sniffling slightly but attempting to hide her tears. "I will wait. I know that this must seem sudden, but I've had five years to think about how I would break free of my mental paralysis and tell you how I feel. I've had five years to plan and plot and think that just maybe I could convince you to love me back!" Trunks sighed, "Pan…love doesn't work that way." Her face blushed scarlet and she turned from him. "Pan…"

She turned to look at him again and it hit him. Her beautiful face, chiseled from marble, was shining in the moonlight wrapped in her velvet hair. Her expression longed for him. He began to feel like his heart was going to explode. "I…" He started, but lunged forward and kissed her. He held onto her for balance and kissed her passionately, like he'd never kissed anyone before. Pan let him, holding onto his neck and digging into his back with her fingernails.

Something hit Trunks at that moment, and he felt like he had to stop or something bad was surely going to happen. He pulled away from her and stood there staring. She was panting, red in the face but smiling. He felt himself smiling, too. Stop it, Trunks, he thought to himself. Someone is going to see you. "I'm…sorry…" He turned and wobbled back inside, leaving Pan in the blissful and emotional state of a first kiss that she'd never forget. She looked at the house, drunk with love and passion, but saw Tarble standing in the window and peeking out the curtains. He looked slightly disappointed, but smiled weakly at Pan. She felt like she was going to explode with happiness and kicked off into the sky. Tarble's fake smile faded and he closed the curtains behind him.

**Sorry for the hiatus, guys! This story still has no end in sight at the moment. Do not fear my abandoning it! I love you all for reading very much and do appreciate the comments! It gets me pumped to write the next chapter when I read them! :D**


	35. Anger is my Friend

Marron slinked around the corner with her cell phone in hand and looked at the number that was blowing up her phone with repeated calls. It had been ringing for quite some time, but she'd only just noticed. Though she knew who it was and didn't particularly relish speaking with them, she was happy to have an out of the current situation unfolding in the kitchen. She looked over her shoulder and headed inside of the room closest to her, closing the door quietly.

"Why the hell are you calling me right now?" She whispered with annoyance.

A smooth and coy voice answered, "You know…I'm really sick of your attitude. You promised that you'd help me with this when I discovered your mother's grim financial situation." Marron thought for a moment and decided to play along in the interests of her end goal. "If I'm right, it could be any day now. They said something about a saiyan pregnancy being shorter than a human one. She's looks like she's going to pop." She picked up a framed picture of Trunks and Bra off of a fancy dresser and looked at it with disgust. She could hear typing faintly clicking in the background of her caller's line.

After a few moments, the voice spoke again. "I trust then that you will continue to play your part and do your job when the time comes." Marron exhaled, "Of course. You have my word. I need that money." She hung up the phone and placed it back into the pocket of her designer jeans. "I'll show you…" She said softly, still holding the picture. She set the frame back down and leaned back onto a large bed. "I hate you. I hate you so much. You took everything that I wanted and now…I'll take everything that you want." She pointed at the picture, talking to Bra's smiling face. "I…hate…you…" Her face was red with anger. For her entire life, Marron had played the role of good girl. She'd made everyone happy and given up on her own dreams. This was her moment, she thought, to stab the one she loved more deeply than he knew was possible. She stood up abruptly and swung an open hand at the picture, tossing it aside and shattering the glass all around the floor. Marron tried to calm herself by taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, but it was no use. Her anger was simply out of control these days.

She plopped down on the floor and began to feel intense emotions welling up inside of her. Something hadn't felt the same in her very soul since her father died, and all she ever wanted was for Goten to take her back. She wanted it to go back to the way it was before any of this madness. Her mind began to wander back in time to a warm, summer day.

She was engaged to Goten, planning out some minor details with Chichi in the small sitting room of their quaint, country home. 18 was at the stove heating water for some tea. "I can't wait to see your father's face at the wedding, Marron…" 18 said happily as she watched Krillin outside through the kitchen window sparring with Goten. They always got along so well. Marron thought that this could be because Goten resembled Krillin's dear friend, Goku, so much.

"Mare! Could you grab me a water bottle, please?" Goten called towards the open window. 18 leaned her head back at her eager daughter. "Yes, dear!" Marron called. She smiled at Chichi and hopped up to bring an ice cold drink to her dearly beloved.

The warm sunlight hit her shoulders as she walked outside. He picked her up and twirled her around, kissing her on the cheek and laughing.

"Goten! I dropped the water bottle!" She laughed.

She looked down at him and his face was free of worry. His hopes were still alive to become a doctor and save the world. Krillin laughed behind them, happy for his daughter. It was picture perfect.

Suddenly, her happy thoughts took a turn for the worst. She was in her room at Kame house, home alone. Goten was standing in front of her, but he couldn't talk. He was looking through her, like she didn't even exist. "Goten…what's wrong?" Marron asked, confused that he flew all the way out to the island without calling first.

Goten hung his head low and pulled her desk chair out from the space behind him. As he sat, he placed his face into his palms and rubbed back and forth, clearly in distress. Marron sat back onto the bed with a look of horror on her face. She knew that whatever he was going to say was going to be bad, but she never imaged how strikingly honest he would be.

"I don't love you anymore." He whispered.

Marron's eyes welled with hot tears and her soul felt like it was ripped right from her chest. She tried to respond, but her words stuck in her throat and refused to come out. She took in a short, deep breath and stared as the water from the rain outside dripped from Goten's soaked hoodie onto the wood floor. She was panicking and felt like her head was about to explode. The man that she'd loved for so long and befriended for many years before that was about to leave and never come back. She choked back the sobs that were screaming to emerge and wondered why he wasn't filling this horrible silence with more words.

"I'm sorry…we're over." He said, shattering the dreadful silence. Surprisingly to Marron, the words offered no comfort further than the Earth-shattering silence that she'd just endured. He looked up and into her eyes with all sincerity. "I can't play this game anymore."

Marron stood up from her bed and spilled out her emotions. Her words toppled onto each other in a blubbering, dramatic mess. It wasn't that she was trying to be dramatic, but she certainly felt better throwing everything she had in her vocabulary at him. "I was going to marry you! This ring meant nothing? It was supposed to mean that we belonged to each other!" She couldn't stop her anger. She couldn't stop her rage. It was too much for Goten to handle. She stomped her foot and started pulling at the diamond around her finger. She wanted to throw it at him, the hit him…she wanted to cause him the same amount of pain that she was feeling.

"I can't do this. Not after everything that we've been through…We are done." Goten got up to leave, turning his soaking wet back to Marron. She screamed at him, begged him, but it was no use. He was already in the sky again as she fell to the sopping ground of the tiny island. She watched him helplessly, screaming for the pain to stop.

The door to the room flew open and Marron jolted upwards. "What the hell?" She yelled angrily. Pan stood in the doorway staring at her with wide, concerned eyes. Marron realized quickly that her expensive mascara wasn't water proof. Black tears were streaming down her face and staining her porcelain appearance with darkness. Her bloodshot eyes darted to the area around her where the broken glass from the picture frame decorated the hardwood floor. "I…" She began, but couldn't speak. Pan cocked her head to one side, "Are you okay? This looks a little…crazy…" Her humor was clearly in disdain for the woman before her. Marron blinked in frustration.

How could a girl who just sacrificed everything be so willing to make jokes? She had the nerve to ask about Trunks' girlfriend's welfare? This whole party, the engagement…it all happened because of Pan and her selfish claim over Trunks! Marron's thoughts raced. The angrier she got, the less she could hold back her true feelings, just like when she screamed at Goten so long ago.

"Stay away from my Trunks!" She yelled violently, pointing with fury. Pan's face filled with shock. They had been friends once, when she spent a lot of time around the Son household, but any remorse Pan felt for Marron's present condition quickly dissipated. "What the hell, Marron? First of all, I thought this was the bathroom door, so I'm sorry for busting in…but damn! What makes you think that I want Trunks? You have no right to yell at me about anything if you're sitting here like a fool crying for no reason!"

Marron took a deep breath. She felt the anger inside rising to dangerous levels. She couldn't let anyone know about the gift she'd received from the boss of this entire operation. It wasn't plausible indoors and it wasn't smart at all, she thought. She lowered her guard and exhaled in defeat. "I know that you love him because you look at him the way that I look at Goten. You gave five years of your life for a man who doesn't even know that you exist. He belongs to me." Marron flung her long, golden hair over her shoulder and shoved Pan out of the way as she left the room. Pan stared down at the floor, speechless.

Standing there alone in the room, Pan's mind began to swirl with doubt. Firstly, Marron still loved Goten and not Trunks. That had been made perfectly clear, but it wasn't that easy to overlook. Secondly, did Trunks really not know that Pan had feelings for him? She had kissed him! However, it was only on the cheek. How stupid, Pan thought, to be so childish and expect a grown man to understand the subtle message. Her fists clenched and her heart ached. Did she do this all for nothing? "No." She said aloud to herself. She knew that if Trunks was feeling so unaffected by her that being direct was the only way. It was the only option to prove to Trunks that he was the guy that she gave everything for.

As dinner passed by, things were tense between Pan and Marron. They exchanged dirty looks several times, causing Goten and Trunks to feel on edge. Even though Goten was still clearly furious with Trunks, he could tell that something was up and tried to search Trunks' expressions for answers. He still probably knew the real Marron better than Trunks, yet her demeanor was too different from anything he'd ever seen from her to read.

They made it through dessert and watched as the Son men and Trunks drank until their heart's content. Bulma laughed loudly at them, clearly just as inebriated. Bra was tired and headed up to her old room for bed. Marron waited a few minutes before heading upstairs herself. She'd had just about enough of this dinner stupidity.

She began searching for an empty room on the second floor to hide in and sulk in her own madness. She took her time, checking each room and sitting on the different beds. The Brief household was basically a glorified hotel. When she found the perfect bed, she laid back onto it and fell into deep thought again. She laid there for a long while until she began to wonder where Trunks was. Even if she was only acting as his girlfriend, it was surely nice to have his company. He wasn't hard to look at without a shirt, either, she thought devilishly.

Slowly she rose from the bed and rubbed her tired eyes. It was getting late, but she could hear some people outside. She wondered why someone went outside if they all were so drunk down there, so she slide from the warm bed and headed to the window for some observation.

What she saw shook her very core. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her heart pulled, though she couldn't understand the logic behind the feeling. She was not in love with Trunks. This much was true out of all of the lies that she told herself daily. She couldn't deny that some feelings were there, even if they were only of possession, but certainly not love. However, she did need to complete her mission without interference or the entire deal would be off. She would lose her gift and the money would be gone.

She watched in horror as Pan stood before Trunks, latched onto him tightly. Trunks' hands dug into her waist as he kissed her more passionately than he'd ever even attempted to kiss Marron with. His hands traveled up and down Pan's body, possessing her as his own. It seemed as though it wouldn't end for a heated moment, but they broke apart just as quickly as it happened. Marron pressed her face against the window angrily, ready to jump outside and strangle the stupid girl she'd officially labeled as her second rival. Her face was red and hot, both embarrassed at the obvious betrayal from Trunks and her own stupidity to trust that Pan wouldn't try something like this. The game, in her mind, was definitely on.


	36. I Will Rule the World

Marron turned around and stared angrily at the bed that she was about to share with Trunks for the night. She felt an angry rage boiling up from deep within her core. It felt like her entire brain would pop under the pressure. That moment, where the room seemed to be flashing red with the pulsing anger in her body, was when she finally realized what they'd done to her.

The rage, the violence, the lying…it all tied into that one place. It was one meeting that changed her life forever without permission. Marron sat on the floor and curled up into shaky, pale heap of emotions. Her eyes searched the vivid memory in her mind trying to remember what happened.

When Marron, 18 and Yamcha got to America, they moved into a small house behind a rich family member's home. It was Yamcha's very elderly aunt that owned the property, but she was now being cared for by her monstrously good-looking grandson. She thought that he looked familiar, but she didn't know how she could possibly know an American and dismissed the idea.

Over the next few days, it was quite clear that Yamcha and 18 were in over their heads with debt. Krillin did not have life insurance or a job for that matter, and Roshi only covered as much as he could. The bills seemed endless and 18 was beside herself with grief. Yamcha did what he could to comfort her, but she was inconsolable most nights. It wasn't until Yamcha started his job hunt and left 18 alone for a day that the worst happened.

Marron came home from her own job search around noon. She's been successful quickly. Her good looks and blonde pigtails got her a job in the local mall instantly. 18 on the other hand refused to leave their little guest house. She entered the front door and announced herself while she took off her shoes.

"Mom?" Marron asked a second time after there was no response. She felt the chilling spike of worry fill her up with dread when the silence became deafening. She ran down the small hallway to the bedroom door and saw the bathroom door ajar. You didn't, Marron thought, you didn't do it.

She rushed forward and grabbed the molding around the bathroom door. "Mom!" Marron stood frozen in time. Her eyes slowly traveled across the tub and to the hand hanging over the edge. A bloody razor blade sat in a puddle of crimson red on the tile below. A wine glass sat on the rim of the tub on top of a small pile of the bills that Marron had seen Yamcha and 18 looking over before.

"No…" Marron whispered. Her head spun and her vision blurred. This was not happening, she kept telling herself. Wake up, wake up! She found her footing and ran towards her lifeless mother. "You can't die, too!" Marron cried in agony. She grabbed a large, purple towel down from the holder next to the tub and tried to gather herself. She reached into the tub and pulled up the plug, letting the bloody water run down the drain.

18 was wearing a white cocktail dress with ruffles and sequins. It hugged her hips and expanded into a princess worthy pouf above her knees. The strapless top was detailed and decorated across the top and a large flower stood out on her right shoulder. Marron instantly recognized the dress from photo albums…it was her mother's wedding dress.

She tossed the towel over her mother and pulled her up and out of the tub. The blood was everywhere and still flowing, giving Marron hope that 18 was still alive. She heard the front door open and close and called out, "Help! Help us!" The footsteps started running and entered the bedroom. "Marron?" She heard the voice call out, but it was not Yamcha's.

"We're in here…call 1-1-9!" The voice entered the bathroom. It was the owner of the house, Yamcha's aunt's grandson. "1-1-9? You mean 9-1-1? Oh, good God! Don't move her!" He shouted, reaching for his phone and dialing with fury. His eyes flashed between Marron, 18 and his phone several time before they answered and he screeched instructions to them. It was all so surreal. He crouched down to Marron and ripped the sleeve of his shirt off with force. Splitting it in two, he tied each one tightly around 18's wrists. "You have to stop the bleeding." He said as though he'd seen this before. "She's still alive." Marron looked down at her mother. Mascara trailed down her cheeks and her red lipstick was smeared. She's been trying to recreate her wedding day in her mind, Marron thought.

"I'm Mikio, by the way. I just live here temporarily to help my grandma, but I live in Japan, too." The brown haired, blue eyed man said to Marron. She looked at him with confusion. In that moment, she realized who she was talking to. "Mikio? Mikio…as in, Goten's friend Mikio?" Mikio sat up, smiling slightly. "Yeah…I figured that you wouldn't recognize me with longer hair and glasses. I mean, we only met a few times. But…I guess the last time that I saw you was…" He stopped talking and watched Marron closely.

Her brain flurried around in circles. This man before her was also a saiyan and was almost killed by those monsters. What the hell was he doing here? Does that mean he is a distant relative to Yamcha? No, she thought, Yamcha said that the aunt was his sister. Mikio's father was the one that married into this family. She grabbed another towel and rolled it into a ball, placing it neatly under her mother's head for support. "You…were there? The day that they took them?" Mikio sighed. "I don't like to think about it." Marron continued, "But, your father…it was him. They killed him." Mikio looked up at her with blank eyes.

"You can't kill my father." Mikio said with a blank expression.

Marron felt a chill run down her spine and suddenly felt completely unsafe. Luckily, the sirens broke the tension. Men and women in rescue gear burst through the door and ran in, pushing Marron and Mikio out of the way. He watched Marron through the ordeal, eyes locked on her like a target. Marron tried to focus on the task at hand and follow them out the door, but a woman held up her hand. "We need only blood relatives in here." Marron reached out and pushed the woman aside. "That's my mother!" She hopped on the ambulance with 18 and stared out the window as they drove away with sirens blaring. Mikio stood outside of the guest house, still locked on Marron's eyes.

Marron's memories of going to the hospital, seeing Yamcha's face when he arrived…it was all a blur. She couldn't really remember what was going on. It was too similar to when her father died. She remembered coming home to gather some things, but Mikio was there again.

"Marron, how's your mom?" He asked casually. Marron couldn't escape the feeling of dread that he brought with him. "She's fine…she'll be okay." Mikio smiled and moved towards her while she fumbled about in her purse for her phone. It seemed like a logical step. She could dial 9-1-1 in a hurry if he tried anything. Mikio stopped and put his hands in his jean pockets. "So…do you have any powers? Like the saiyans? Your mom isn't human. She couldn't have survived that as a human." Marron froze in place. She'd hadn't been imagining all of this. He was definitely a saiyan. "I'm…I…no, I'm a human." Mikio shrugged. "That's a real shame." Marron felt her instincts telling her to run away. "Why?" She asked before she considered if she actually wanted that answer.

The next thing that she remembered was waking up in her bed the next morning. She felt exhilarated, aware, and completely rejuvenated. Her fears, her anxiety and everything in between had vanished. She also felt strong. Her vision was clearer than ever. "What the hell?" She said, looking around her bedroom. Mikio sat in a chair across from her, watching her sleep. "You're awake? Perfect." She blinked at him in confusion. "Why are you in my room?" She asked while she sat up.

Mikio began to explain that they'd injected her with a serum that was still in its testing phases. "They?" Marron asked. She couldn't feel panicked, only curious, like her body already knew the answers that her brain did not. Mikio laughed, "Yes, my father and his scientists." Marron frowned. "Your father is dead. Goten killed him!" Mikio stopped laughing and stood up with a small paper in his hand. He came over to her and handed her the paper. "I'm guessing that you guys will need this." He said with arrogance that only a saiyan could project.

The paper read that one million American dollars had been transferred into the bank account of Lazuli Chestnut. Lazuli was 18's real name, Marron thought. She handed the paper back to Mikio, "What's this supposed to mean?" Her voice was peaking in annoyance. Mikio laughed, "It means that if you do everything that I'm about to tell you, then you will be free of debt and more powerful than you could have ever imagined. It means that you can finally offer Goten an offer that he couldn't possibly refuse. You'll get everything that you've ever wanted if you just do one thing for me." Marron frowned. "Why do I have to answer to you?" Mikio sighed, "Don't be difficult, Marron. My father is still in Japan. These are his orders. If you don't follow them, we'll just kill Goten."

Marron swallowed hard and began to feel her mind start spinning. Her vision blurred and the room began to look red. It pulsated and twirled, until she felt like she would explode. She yelled and grabbed her head, falling to the floor. "Yes…this is it. Do you feel that power?" Marron screamed in pain. "That power is that of a new race. A new race that is more advanced and calculated than anything Earth has ever seen. But we need one thing before we can control this new power." Marron rose her head up, still in agony. Her eyes had turned from blue to red, tinting everything in her field of vision red as well. "What do I need to do?" She asked in a surly, deep voice. She clenched her teeth and felt her body surging with power.

"You need to bring me that baby." Mikio said flatly.

"How in the hell can I even get close to that baby?" Marron said, still writhing on the floor and twitching. "I don't…" Mikio cut her off. "You need to get close to the family again. Not through Goten or the mother. You need to seduce that son of Vegeta's. He's head over heels for you. Get close to him, then when the baby is born, bring her to me. We need her pure power to control this new form. Then we can inject others that we choose, turning them as well." Marron took a deep breath, "Why test this on me?" Mikio laughed, "Because you have a strange power. A cyborg for a mother and a super human for a father…you think that you are simply insignificant? Powerless? You are our secret weapon." Marron felt pride and importance wash over her. "How will I get Trunks to take me back?" She asked intrigued and still transforming.

"My father is an executive at Capsule Corp by day and scientist by night. He has the ability to travel between here and his lab there by a machine in our basement. He informed me tonight that Trunks has been sent here on business for a week. That will be your chance to woo him and make him yours. If you want Goten to stay alive, you will do your very best." Mikio turned to leave the house when Marron's phone began to ring.

"It's…it's Trunks…" Marron said through clenched teeth, holding onto her phone tightly. Mikio turned and walked back to her. He crouched down to her level. "Make it convincing. Reel in your anger and save it for later. You are in control of this fantastic new form…don't waste it for nothing. Calm down and do your job, or I'll make sure that not just Goten dies, but your mother and that pathetic boyfriend of hers will pay the price, too."

"Marron?" Trunks asked, breaking Marron away from the memories that haunted her. "What's wrong?" Marron knew if she looked up that he'd see her eyes. "I'm…I'm just worried about my mom. Hold on!" She rose up and ran into the bathroom down the hall. Trunks stood dumbfounded, worried that she'd seen what had just happened. After a few moment, Marron emerged and walked cooly into the bedroom. She sat on the bed in her red dress and black boots with a devilish smile on her face. She knew that she couldn't lose Trunks to Pan, or things would be devastating for her. "Take off your pants." Marron said without emotion. Trunks looked at her in confusion. He was still aroused from Pan, but this was unexpected.

"Take off…your pants…" Marron said again, clearly and with demand. She began to twirl the pearl necklace around her neck in her fingers and swung her high ponytail behind her. "Now."

Trunks, still very drunk, slammed the door, stripped and hopped into bed. Perhaps this would push the incident that had just occurred out of his mind. Marron was still hot, and did love her.

Marron felt powerful, in control and evil. It felt good to have this kind of influence over someone. But when he kissed her, she felt something else. She wasn't supposed to care what she was doing to Trunks, but something inside of her stirred and she put her arms around him. While they made love, Marron realized something that she never wanted or meant to feel; she loved Trunks, too.


	37. A Confused Heart

The next morning, Goten woke up feeling like he was on top of the world. He looked down at Bra, who was still fast asleep, and felt his heart skip a beat. He never thought he'd be this happy to get married, especially after the wreck of an engagement that he'd had with Marron. The ring looked so perfect on Bra's finger. It wasn't huge and gaudy like Bulma's ring, though Goten was positive that Vegeta didn't pick it out nor pay for it, and it wasn't extremely modest like Chichi's ring. He was quite proud of it, especially considering that it only took one month's pay. The new job was really starting to make Goten feel more comfortable in life than he'd ever felt financially. Trunks was a very generous boss.

He rolled over and laid on his back, staring at the top of Bra's luxurious canvas bed. He loved the way the curtains swallowed the whole bed, but she didn't want to take anything from her childhood bedroom to their apartment. He figured that she wanted to start over fresh with all of their jointly-bought furniture. The feeling of being inside a very cushy, expensive tent was enough to make Goten want to stay in bed all day. Unfortunately, it was a Friday, and his work alarm was sure to go off at any minute. With a big yawn, Goten picked up his charging phone that was next to his head and began scrolling through emails.

As he was reading a news article about a celebrity doing something stupid again, a new message pinged softly, causing Bra to mumble and roll over to her other side. Trunks' name appeared on the screen above the text. It read, "Important meeting, please meet me downstairs in fifteen." Goten thought for a moment about the encounter with Trunks when he brought Marron into the lab the previous night. He was so angry to see her face again. It wasn't that he was jealous, it was just that his best friend disappeared off of the face of the Earth. Goten could accept the whole thing if it was truly for heavy work load or even mental sanity, but putting your life on hold for a woman like Marron? Marron was nothing more than a liar and master manipulator, Goten thought. He knew what kind of girl she'd become over the many years he'd known her so well. There had to be some kind of motive, likely monetary, causing her to cling to Trunks so tightly. When Trunks pursued her before, she didn't seem interested in anything but getting Goten away from Bra. Trunks would never be number one choice with her. In all honesty, Trunks deserved so much better.

Lost in his negative thoughts, he rolled over and put an arm around Bra's pregnant belly. He buried his nose in her hair and kissed the back of her head. "I am going to get ready for work now…" he whispered softly. Bra grumbled in acknowledgement but quickly started to snore quietly again after snuggling her pillow. Goten laughed quietly, knowing that she would be so embarrassed if she knew what she actually does when she's half asleep. Bra was the most difficult person to wake up that he'd ever met in his entire life. He was glad that she wasn't working just yet. The hormone spikes and moodiness would surely result in her getting fired by someone, or worse, knocking someone out cold.

He got out of bed and threw on one of the suits hanging neatly in the giant walk-in closet. The plethora of clothing, purses, shoes and accessories made Goten wonder how much she'd accumulate at their new place over time. He was glad that she'd brought more than one suit for this visit, though. Bra was very good about keeping Goten prepared for things. However, she was getting so close to the end of her pregnancy that she seemed to want to stay around her mom's house all the time now. Just in case something happened, she said, but Goten suspected she was also starting to get scared and trying to seek support from more than just himself.

He left the red-walled, dream bedroom and headed down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen happily seeking a quick breakfast, but turned around and yelled as soon as he saw what was going on. Trunks and Marron were engaged in a very intense make out session against the kitchen island. "Guys! Oh, my God!" Goten scoffed angrily, covering his eyes and grumbling. They stopped and laughed, knocking over a few spices on the counter. "Sorry, Goten! I'm ready, let's go." Trunks said, kissing Marron on the cheek and winking. Goten shot her a suspicious look before punching Trunks in the arm and pulling on his trademark beanie.

Outside, Goten sighed loudly as they kicked off. He didn't speak, but his attitude towards Trunks was clearly annoyed. "Aw, c'mon, Goten…I'm sorry about everything. I had a great night and I feel so much better…can we just be friends again?" Trunks was smiling like an idiot. Goten rolled his eyes and remembered that he used to have the same dumb smile on his face two years ago from the same girl. "We never stopped being friends…you're just being stupid." Goten responded coldly. Trunks shrugged, "I'm not. I love her, Goten. I'm sorry that you feel so…" Trunks was cut off abruptly as he banged right into another flying saiyan in the sky.

"Ow!" Tarble yelled as he rubbed his head and pushed Trunks away from him. Trunks turned red, "How did you not see us? How did I not sense you? What the hell are you doing up here so early?" Trunks hollered in a confused daze. Goten laughed hysterically as they rubbed their heads and frowned at each other. Tarble was very clearly disappointed to have run into Trunks of all people, seemingly odd to them both. Trunks had no idea that Tarble was well aware that he kissed Pan while he was drunk.

"I'm sorry. I was just out training…I know it's early. I wanted to get back before Pan realizes that I've got a head start on her today." Tarble blushed at the mention of Pan. Trunks noticed his awkward demeanor and called him on it. "Do you like her or something? What the hell is with that stupid look on your face?" Trunks asked without tact. Goten stopped laughing and was taken aback by his outward expression of disapproval. "Hey, man…why do you care?" Goten said, jumping on the opportunity to defend Tarble and let off just a little more frustration with Trunks. Tarble shrugged off the question and said, "I've gotta get going…" He flew passed Goten and headed back towards the Brief household.

"Thanks for having my back, man…" Trunks said angrily with a hint of sarcasm. Goten laughed, "Well, consider us even. I feel better now. So, Marron jumped your bones last night? Guess she took advantage of your drunken state of mind." Goten felt weirdly at ease joking about the subject. Trunks blushed violently, "Well, maybe, yeah…but whatever." Goten continued to pry, "So do you think Tarble really likes Pan? That's weird…ha, especially since Pan is older than him now! Or is he? He's technically still got the mind of a thirty-something year old, right?" Trunks glanced at Goten but continued looking forward as they flew. He seemed to clam up even worse at the mention of Pan. Goten remembered that Trunks was never one to kiss and tell, but he never seemed to mind discussing Pan before. It all seemed a little fishy, but he decided to drop it and let Trunks cool off a bit.

They arrived at Capsule Corp headquarters within the next ten minutes and headed up to Trunks' office. The workers seemed overjoyed at the arrival of their beloved president for so long. It was clearly a fake display justified only by fear of job security. Trunks was a friendly and casual CEO, that was for sure, but everyone was well aware of the still lingering negative feelings about Bulma leaving the job. He waved cordially and continued on to an elevator with Goten before anyone had the chance to talk to him and bring up his hiatus.

"Phew…I can only imagine what this meeting will be like." Trunks leaned forward towards the floor and began to sweat. He was genuinely nervous. Goten straightened his tie and tried to look put-together. "I'm not nervous. This is all about your wonderful American business deals, right?" Trunks looked up at him and frowned at his sarcasm, "Yes. But I hate talking to all of these guys at one time. Hitake called the meeting and he's just such a douche." Goten paused as he was checking out his reflection in metal elevator door, "Hitake? The older guy? Oh, God…he was starting to threaten my job, you know! He wanted to fly me out to your hotel just to convince you to come back! It was almost like he was trying to get me out of the country on purpose or something." Trunks frowned, "Yeah, he's a weird guy. He used to be alright, but the last several months he's turned into a real pain in the ass. Don't worry about him, I won't let him do anything stupid. I think he used to have the hots for my mom, too…it's just weird."

The elevator pinged and opened on the fiftieth floor. The largest of the five conference rooms was setup with tables in a square shape for the meeting. The projection screen was up and ready, waiting to be connected to New York, London, and Dubai. The company expanding past the Eastern hemisphere was never a reality that they could depend on, but it seemed Trunks was skilled at breaking down barriers that Bulma could not. The executives sat in their usual seats, with representatives from a few other countries present as well. Hitake sat near the middle, but watched as Trunks and Goten entered. It was like a dark cloud was settled in the center of the room. To their dismay, he hopped up from his seat and ran over to them eagerly.

" …you are looking well. We missed your great leadership while you were gone." Trunks smiled and shook his hand with some pride, but Goten frowned with confusion. Hitake never indicated to Goten that he thought anything more of Trunks than he thought of a pile of garbage. He outwardly and openly pursued the title of CEO. Perhaps he was on his best behavior for some unknown business reason. Goten headed for the table and sat down, avoiding any chance for Hitake to speak to him directly. He prepared his computer for note taking and was joined by Trunks shortly after. He sat at the head of the long table and opposite the projection screen. On his command, the phones would connect across the globe and the meeting would commence.

After a long two hours of presentations and debating, deals were made and the company had a new partner in the West. Trunks looked exhausted, but proud. Goten had written 98 pages of notes. It all seemed successful. As they began to gather everything to leave, Hitake approached Trunks and Goten again.

"I hear that your wife is just about due…seems very fast. Are you an alien or something?" Goten and Trunks both flushed red, "No, no…uh…we just didn't tell anyone for a few months. She's right at nine months right now!" Goten began to fidget with his hands, but Trunks elbowed him discretely. Hitake nodded happily, appearing not noticing anything unusual. "Oh and she's not my wife…yet. I mean, we're engaged." Goten continued, increasingly more nervous as he went. Realizing that his friend was getting panicky, Trunks interjected, "So what can I do for you?" His pride was clearly at its peak at the moment after a successful breakthrough completely credited to him. cleared his throat, "I'd like to invite your family to my home for dinner. I think it would be a fine occasion, fitting for your recent…success." Trunks beamed happily, but Goten's weird and creepy radar in his mind was definitely going off. Something seemed strange about the proposal. "I'll be seeing you there this evening then. Please bring your mother and father, a date if you would like. …please join us with that delightful wi-I mean, fiancée, of yours. I'd love to meet her." Goten smiled awkwardly and nodded, but felt no need to attend any dinners. He started to put on his jacket and pulled on his red beanie, motioning for Trunks to follow him. With a polite good-bye, they practically ran away from the man. His eyes burned into their backs as they left.

On their way home, Goten and Trunks spoke lightly of the events that transpired and didn't feel the need to expand upon it any further. Goten agreed to go to the dinner, but shared his concerns with Trunks first. Trunks dismissed his worries and continued to insist that it was all okay. After all, had been around for years and would do anything to please Bulma if she was involved.

At the Brief household, Pan and Tarble were in the front yard sparring. Trunks landed near Pan and made eye contact with her, causing her to blush bright red against her pale skin. She smiled and waved before her eyes darted back to the ground. Trunks waved back but didn't approach her. Tarble landed a hard punch on her shoulder and knocked her backwards. She snapped out of her trance and sighed with frustration, "Aw, man! Can't we take a break? I'm beat!" Tarble landed and looked at Trunks. Goten noticed that the intense, electric anger shooting between them seemed overly personal. Trunks hadn't mentioned any problems with his now younger uncle before. He had no idea what to make of it, only that Pan seemed to know what was bothering them and also seemed to be in the middle of it.

"Trunks!" Marron called as she ran out of the doorway. She flew up into his arms and pushed him backwards. She kissed him fairly inappropriately for public eyes, but Goten dismissed it and scolded them playfully. "Get a room!" He said as he started to walk around them. Marron piped up excitedly, "Okay, let's!" Trunks smiled dangerously at her. She dragged him up from the sidewalk and started towards the house behind Goten.

Pan watched them sadly. She felt her heart beating slower and slower like everything she'd wanted was for nothing. It was becoming clear that he only kissed her out of drunken passion. Trunks watched Pan as he left, seemingly apologizing with his eyes. It felt like her world was about to fall apart in an instant.

"Are you okay?" Tarble asked, holding out a hand for Pan to take. She looked up at him from the ground and asked softly, "What's wrong with me? Is something wrong with me?" Tarble shot another angry glance at the now closed front door and then looked back to Pan. "Nothing is wrong with you. He's crazy not to notice how great you are."

Pan got up and fell forward into Tarble's arms. "I'm sorry! See? I'm such a klutz. No wonder he doesn't like me. I'm unattractive and lame. He hasn't even said anything about me going super saiyan!" Her whining was cut off by Tarble when he lunged forward and kissed her out of nowhere. It was different from her kiss with Trunks. Trunks was forceful and sloppy, purely passionate and sexual. This kiss was soft, unforced and gently. He held completely still, keeping his lips pressed against hers with the utmost care. She realized what was happening and pulled away from him suddenly. She hadn't expected such a move from him.

What was she supposed to say? The tan saiyan before her had just done the unimaginable to her fragile psyche. His strong face, though younger, still showed years of battle and knowledge beyond Pan's wildest imagination. She wasn't sure that she could ever understand everything going on in his head. She also wasn't sure what his intentions were. "I'm not sure…what's happening here." Pan said in an almost inaudible whisper. Tarble rose her chin to his with one hand and pulled her closer to him with the other. "You don't need to be sure…you only need to be willing to trust me." Pan felt the same feeling that she'd felt the night before building up inside of her. She felt her face getting numb with heat and her heart beating faster and faster. Her body felt like it was floating but on fire. Her lips twitched awkwardly and her head felt cloudy. "Trust you?" She asked. Tarble sighed, "You don't trust me? I'll be sure to keep earning that, then." He brushed her hair away from her face and brought his to hers. Her lips stopped twitching and her heart seemed to stop beating. It was like a whole new world exploded inside of her soul. Why was this happening when something so different happened when Trunks kissed her? Didn't she love Trunks? She hadn't even thought of Tarble like this…or had she? His warm lips against hers were sending her head spinning up in the clouds.

"I'm…not sure…we should…do this…" Pan said between lingering, light kisses. Tarble stopped for a moment and looked into her eyes, making her feel completely exposed to the world. He had a way of making her open up to him, but his gaze into her eyes was almost overbearing. "You're like…fifteen now." Pan stated with guilt. Tarble laughed, "You think I'm too young for you now, dear?" Pan broke away from him and pouted. "Well…you look like it." Tarble sighed, "Well, I guess this is complicated…isn't it? Do I not interest you that way then?" She turned around and looked him up and down without thinking. He certainly did interest her. He was chiseled, like every other saiyan around, but in a different way. Tarble's mind was just as powerful, if not more so, than his body. He was short like Pan and had a softer look than Vegeta, though they were similar in appearance. "I'm not…sure. I just…Trunks was my first kiss last night. I'm guessing that you saw it and that's why you were being so weird with him, right?" She felt herself falling farther away from the dream world that she'd entered with him moments earlier, "I'm just not sure what all of these feelings mean! I'm not sure…" She crossed her arms and began to tear up. Tarble felt guilty for confusing her so badly and backed away with his head lowered.

"I'm a patient man, even if I look like a teenager now. Don't let yourself feel rushed and don't be fooled by my youthful appearance. I'm sorry." He couldn't have been more sincere. Pan began to respond again, but he was already flying away. She didn't mean to hurt him. Trunks had Marron, so obviously he thought that he had a chance with her now. How on Earth did this happen? She felt like every emotion she'd ever felt inside of her was about to explode and her heart just couldn't process it all.


End file.
